


This Car of Mine

by sgtcalhouns



Category: Wreck-It Ralph (Movies)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2020-02-28 04:51:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 32,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18749371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgtcalhouns/pseuds/sgtcalhouns
Summary: When Felix experiences some car troubles, he finds himself immediately taken with the mechanic who comes to his rescue.





	1. Chapter 1

_There’s a party goin’ on right here,_

_A celebration to last throughout the year…_

Felix hummed along to the radio and drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he came to a stop at a red light. Leaning forward to glance out the windshield, he frowned slightly at the dark clouds that loomed overhead. He was on his way to meet a date at a nearby restaurant, and he feared this bad weather might force him to cut their night short. That wouldn’t be too bad, he supposed. It had been quite some time since he had been on a date, and if he was being honest with himself, he wasn’t all that excited about the events that were lined up before him tonight. His date was nice enough, but there was no real connection there, no spark.

The traffic light turned green, giving him no more time to ruminate on the situation. He lifted his foot off the brake and pressed down on the gas, but his car remained in place. Pressing down a bit harder, he could hear his engine responding, yet his car still refused to budge. The cars behind him were growing increasingly impatient, honking their horns at him. He hastily put his hazard lights on and waved for the other drivers to go around him while he tried to assess the situation. 

Just as he thought to get out and take a look under the hood, it began to rain. Panic set in as he realized that he was stuck here until the weather improved. He had always been a bit claustrophobic, and being stuck inside his truck during a storm was quickly fraying his nerves. Suddenly, a figure appeared at his window, and he yelped loudly at the unexpected visitor. He couldn’t make out a face due to the hood they wore to shield themselves from the rain. The stranger motioned for him to roll down his window and he complied.

“Put it in neutral,” they said.

Felix nodded, trying with all his might to steady his breathing as he shifted his car into neutral. Looking back up at the window, he realized the stranger was no longer standing next to his car. In the side mirror, he caught a glimpse of them walking around the back of the truck, placing their hands on the back bumper and beginning to push. His car slowly began to roll forward, and Felix quickly shifted in his seat, looking ahead to try and figure out where he was being pushed. He spotted a mechanic shop up ahead and began steering his car toward the driveway. Within just a few minutes, his car was safely situated inside the garage, and he climbed down out of the driver’s seat. 

“Thank you so much for your help,” Felix said, approaching his savior at the back of his truck. “I’m Felix.”

“Calhoun,” answered the stranger.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you,” he replied. “You don’t know how grateful I am for–”

Felix paused suddenly as his companion pulled off their hooded jacket and he finally got a good look at their face. Before him stood a stunning woman with piercing blue eyes and short blonde hair that covered half of her face. She wore a dark grey jumpsuit with her last name embroidered on the chest, and he immediately noticed that he had to look up to see her face. She was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen, and by far the strongest. He almost couldn’t believe this was the same person who had just singlehandedly pushed his car here.

“…For?” she repeated, visibly irritated with his ogling her.

“For you coming to my rescue out there,” Felix finished, shaking himself out of his daze. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare, it’s just that–”

“What, not used to seeing a woman in the garage like this?” she smirked.

“No, it’s not that,” Felix replied. “I’ve just never seen anyone push a car all by themselves like that. How’d you get to be so strong?”

“I’ve had lots of practice,” she answered, rounding the truck in an attempt to hide her smile from him. She had never been this affected by flattery, but she could feel the sincerity in his words. “Now, tell me what happened here.”

Calhoun popped the hood and began taking a look at the engine. Felix came around next to her. 

“Well, everything was fine until I stopped at that red light,” he explained. “When the light turned green, I pressed on the gas pedal but the car wouldn’t move.”

“Looks like your fuel filter’s clogged,” she replied, pointing it out to him. “I can probably get that replaced for you within the hour.”

“Oh, thank you,” Felix said. “That’s a relief.”

“Let me go grab the parts I need, I’ll be right back.”

Once she had left the room, Felix pulled out his cell phone to call his date. He had never stood anyone up before, and he certainly wasn’t going to start now. 

“Hello, Pauline? Hi, I’m sorry I’m not at the restaurant,” he said, pacing back and forth as he spoke. “My car broke down on the way there, so I’m at the mechanic getting it looked at now.”

Behind him, Calhoun walked back into the garage with a new fuel filter in hand.

“I hate to do this to you at the last minute, but I don’t think I’m going to make it to dinner tonight,” he said, and Calhoun couldn’t help but overhear him as she approached his truck. “It could take a while for them to get everything fixed, and I don’t want to keep you waiting. I’m really sorry.”

Calhoun leaned up against his car as he hung up the phone, her arms crossed across her chest.

“Is there a reason you’re lying to your date?” she asked, smirking in amusement as he jumped in surprise at the sound of her voice behind him. 

“Well, I…” he trailed off, trying to think of a reasonable excuse, before sighing in defeat. “If I’m bein’ honest, I wasn’t much looking forward to that date. I never really wanted to go on it in the first place, but she asked me and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.”

“Ooh, I didn’t realize I was dealing with a ladykiller here,” she teased. 

“It’s not like that, I swear!” he said defensively. “I haven’t been on a date in a long time and everyone kept tellin’ me I should put myself back out there, but as it got closer I realized I just wasn’t feelin’ up to it.”

“I understand,” she said as she got to work on his truck.

“I do like Pauline, and of course I enjoy spending time with her, but I guess I just don’t really feel a connection in that way,” he explained. 

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re one of those hopeless romantics who believes there has to be some sort of spark in order for a relationship to work.”

“You don’t?”

“No,” she answered, removing the fuel filter from his engine. “It’s foolish to make a commitment based on feelings. Feelings are fleeting, they change. Making a relationship work is a choice, one you have to keep making every day.”

“I don’t disagree with you,” he replied. “But don’t you think there should be  _something_  there? Even just an inkling of a feeling?”

“In my experience, chasing after a spark only gets you burned,” she said, avoiding eye contact with him as she placed the new filter.

“Oh,” Felix said quietly, his chest tightening with guilt as he realized he must have struck a nerve. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories.”

“Nothin’ to be sorry for,” she said, her eyes still cast down toward his engine. Finally, she looked back up at him. “Look, not that it’s any of my business, but if you don’t want to go out with this girl then maybe you should just tell her that. It’s better than stringing her along.”

“You’re right,” he conceded. 

“But, just in case you need another excuse to avoid going out with her, you’re gonna need to bring your car back tomorrow,” she said with a small smile. “The filter’ll hold you for a bit, but it looks like the fuel pump might need to be looked at, too.”

“I’ll be sure to bring it by after work tomorrow,” he said, a small rush of butterflies fluttering in his stomach as she smiled at him. 

“Here’s my card in case it gives you any more trouble before then,” she said, pulling a business card from her pocket and handing it to him. 

“Thank you, ma’am,” he replied, gingerly running his thumb over her name and phone number. “And thanks again for saving me out there. If it weren’t for you, I’d probably still be panicking in the driver’s seat.”

“Not a problem, Felix,” she said. “That’s what I’m here for.”

“Well, you have a good night, Miss Calhoun,” he said, unable to control his blushing as she spoke his name. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As he climbed back into his truck and pulled out of the garage, he couldn’t help but smile as he thought about Calhoun. He had only just met her, but he already felt more of a connection with her than he had felt with anyone else in a long time. The prospect of seeing her again tomorrow made him giddy, and he rushed home, leaving his mind–and heart–back in the mechanic’s shop.


	2. Chapter 2

Felix was practically bouncing in his seat in the lobby of the mechanic shop as he waited for Miss Calhoun. He couldn’t recall ever being this excited to see someone before and it felt almost childish, but he didn’t let that bother him. Maybe it  _was_  childish to develop a crush on a complete stranger so quickly, but even if it was, he was going to let himself enjoy it while it lasted. The man sitting behind the counter cleared his throat, catching Felix’s attention, and instructed him to drive his car around to the garage.

“You trying to cop my style or what?” Calhoun teased as Felix climbed out of the driver’s seat clad in his uniform, a blue shirt with his name emblazoned on the chest. “I’ll have you know this jumpsuit is corporate-issue, one of a kind.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, ma’am,” he chuckled. “Especially not when it looks so much better on you than it ever would on me.”

“Oh, please, flattery don’t charge these batteries,” she smirked, popping the hood of the truck. “What do you do, anyway, that you’re dressed like that?”

“I’m the super for the apartment building down the street,” he answered.

“If you’re a handyman for a living then why am I the one leaning over the engine of your car?” 

“Well, I do have a penchant for fixing things, but I’m afraid that cars have always been the one thing I could never quite wrap my head around,” he answered sheepishly. “I can fix a broken washing machine in under an hour but I’m useless when it comes to this stuff.” 

“Most of the machinery is similar, you know,” she said. “I could teach you how to do this and then you’d never need a mechanic again.”

“That’s true,” he said, pausing briefly before continuing with a bit of trepidation, “but then I wouldn’t have an excuse to come here anymore.”

“I wouldn’t worry about needing an excuse if I were you,” she said quietly, focusing her attention back on his truck. “Come here.”

Felix obeyed, moving to stand beside her. It took a moment, but the meaning behind her words finally dawned on him and a blush flared up in his cheeks. He looked up at her face for some kind of clue that what he had just heard wasn’t a figment of his imagination, but she had already begun explaining the importance of disconnecting the negative battery cable before they could begin the repair. 

He tried his best to focus on Calhoun’s instructions, but he had never stood so close to her before and he couldn’t help but be distracted. Of course she was beautiful–he had known that from the start–but up close, he was completely mesmerized. She turned her head to look at him, pausing mid-sentence as she found herself caught in his gaze. Their faces were only a couple of inches apart, and Felix found himself unable to resist her pull. He slowly began leaning in even closer, but before he could work up the nerve to close the gap and press his lips to hers, she cleared her throat, shaking them both out of their daze.

“Are you listening to me?” she asked, trying to convince herself that she hadn’t just come that close to kissing him. 

“Absolutely,” he said, nodding rapidly. He was doing his best to appear calm and collected but he found that nearly impossible to do when she made him so nervous and flustered.

“Okay,” she said, sounding unconvinced. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she turned back to the engine.

Felix remained focused for the rest of her lesson, determined not to let himself slip again. He had to remind himself that she was just trying to do her job; this wasn’t the time or place to be trying to make a move. Maybe she had no interest in him at all. Together, they replaced his fuel pump, and Felix was proud of himself for managing to help with a car repair without screwing anything up.

“See? Told you it was easy,” Calhoun said.

“Well, I did have a pretty wonderful teacher,” Felix replied.

“Hey, what’d I say about flattery?” she teased.

“Does it really count as flattery if it’s the tru– _haaaaughhh_ –”

While he had been speaking, Calhoun had closed the hood without realizing that Felix had been leaning his hand against the edge, effectively crushing his fingers. Springing into action, she popped the hood back open and pulled his hand away before closing it again. She ushered him into a nearby chair and knelt in front of him as she examined his fingers.

“I am so sorry,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

“It hurts pretty bad, but I’ll be okay,” he said with a slight shake in his voice.

“It doesn’t look like any of your fingers are broken,” she said. “I don’t even know how that’s possible.”

“Just lucky, I guess,” he replied.

“Yeah, lucky you,” she half-joked. “Let me get you some ice.”

His fingers were already bruising purple by the time she returned, and she winced at the sight of the swelling that had also begun. She pulled up a chair next to him and gingerly placed the ice pack on his hand. The painful throbbing in his fingers was the last thing on his mind as she held his hand, however. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks at her soft touch; he had expected her hands to be rough and callused like his due to her line of work, but instead he was met with a surprisingly smooth embrace.

“How is your skin so soft?” he asked.

“What?” 

“My hands are so worn from work,” he said, holding out his uninjured hand for her to see, “but yours aren’t like that. They’re soft.”

Calhoun carefully removed her hand from atop the ice pack and delicately traced her fingers over the palm of his hand. She could feel the coarse, uneven patches of skin he had described, but it was far from unpleasant. Despite the rough surface of his palm, she was certain that if he were to close his hand around hers, to lace their fingers together, his hold would be cozy and warm. Felix was melting under her ministrations, wanting nothing more than to pull her hand closer and lay a kiss across the back of her palm. A door slammed shut on the other side of the garage, rousing them from their respective fantasies.

“Calhoun, I’m headin’ out for the night. You got the keys?” a gruff voice called. Felix looked up and recognized its source as the man who had sat behind the counter when he came in.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she replied, hastily releasing Felix’s hand and placing it back on the pack of ice. 

The man nodded and began to leave before turning back around to address Felix, pointing at his injured hand. 

“You know, this is why most people just sit in the waiting room while their car’s getting fixed.”

Felix and Calhoun were both too shocked to respond, and with a nod, he turned and left. Focusing on Felix once more, Calhoun pulled the ice away from his bruised knuckles and they both leaned forward to assess the damage. His fingers were still purple and red, but the swelling had gone down, allowing them to see that, although painful, his fingers weren’t broken. She walked over to the first aid cabinet on the wall and grabbed a roll of gauze wrap.

“Here. Wrap it up as tight as you can without hurting yourself,” she instructed. “I’m gonna drive your truck around the block to make sure everything’s good with the fuel pump.”

Felix nodded and soon she had driven his car out of the garage, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Everything that had happened in the last ten minutes felt like some sort of fever dream, and if not for the very real pain in his fingertips, he might have believed that it was. More than once today he had felt a brief moment of connection with Miss Calhoun, and he couldn’t tell if the head rush he was experiencing was from his injury or the giddy feeling she seemed to instill in him. 

By the time she returned, his hand was wrapped snugly and the pain had subsided to a somewhat bearable level. Felix felt his heart flutter at the sight of her behind the wheel of his truck.

“How’s your hand feel?” she asked as she approached him.

“Better,” he answered with a sigh of relief. “Thank you for your help. If it weren’t for you I would’ve probably just panicked until I passed out.”

“If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t have gotten hurt in the first place.”

“But I also wouldn’t’ve learned how to replace a fuel pump,” he pointed out. “Today was my first ever successful car repair, all thanks to you. I take it everything’s running smoothly?”

“Yep, it shouldn’t give you any more trouble,” she answered.

The satisfaction of a job well done quickly wore off as they realized that this meant they had no reason to see each other again.

“Well, I… I know it’s getting late, so I ought to let you get on with your evening,” he said, attempting to keep the sadness out of his voice. “I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for me this past couple days.”

“Just doin’ my job, Felix,” she replied. “And don’t forget you have my card, you can always call if something else happens.”

“Trust me, Miss Calhoun, you’re the only mechanic I want working on my truck from now on.”

“Oh, sure, I can just imagine you trying to recommend me to your friends,” she teased. “‘She does a great job, but she might break your hand.’”

“Sure, my fingers may have had a rough day, but the rest of me is just fine,” he smiled. “All told, I’d say the rewards outweigh the consequences.”

Her lips quirked up into a shy smile and his heart did somersaults in response. 

“Drive safe,” she said, handing him the keys. “And please let me know if that hand gets any worse.”

“I will,” he replied. “Have a good night, Miss Calhoun.”

* * *

By the time he arrived home, he was still consumed with thoughts of Calhoun. He sighed as he pulled the key out of the ignition and leaned back into the driver’s seat. She had said he didn’t need an excuse to come by, but he wasn’t sure he had the courage to go see her without one. Glancing around the car, a glint of light caught his eye on the floor in front of the passenger seat. He leaned over to investigate, finding a set of dog tags that had been left behind. He turned them over in his hand and felt a jolt of excitement as his eyes scanned the name that was engraved in the metal: Sergeant Tamora Calhoun.

It looked like he would have an excuse after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Felix took a deep breath before opening the door to the garage and approaching Calhoun’s work station. A pair of legs poked out from underneath a red sedan, and Felix paused beside them, steeling himself to speak what was on his mind. 

“Hi, Miss Calhoun,” he began. “I hope you don’t mind me bothering you at work. There’s just something I’d like to say to you if that’s alright.”

He received no response, but he forced himself to press on before he lost momentum.

“I found these dog tags with your name on them in my car last night,” he said, pulling the chain out of his pocket. “I came here today using these as an excuse to come see you again, but then I remembered you telling me I don’t need one.”

Behind him, Calhoun entered the garage, eyeing him curiously. She was about to ask him who he was talking to when she got close enough to hear what he was saying. Grinning to herself, she leaned against the SUV in the next work station and listened as he plugged along.

“I don’t want to make excuses anymore, ma’am. I want to come right out and tell you how I feel,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed the time we’ve spent together over the last couple days, and I’d really like to see you again. I want to take you on a date, if that’s something you’d be interested in.”

“Hank’s married with kids, so as much as I’m sure he likes you, I don’t think that romance is gonna take off,” Calhoun joked. Felix nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice behind him, and whirled around to face her. “Plus, he’s almost definitely asleep under there.”

“Miss Calhoun!” Felix exclaimed. He looked back and forth between her and the pair of legs he had been addressing. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Couple minutes,” she answered. “I don’t really think it counts as eavesdropping, though, since you were talking to me. If anything, I think Hank’s the one in the wrong here.”

Felix sighed as he worked to catch his breath while Calhoun gave him a teasing smile. He was about to ask her what she thought of his proposal when she opened her mouth to speak.

“How’s your hand?”

“It’s still pretty sore, but nothin’ I can’t recover from,” he answered.

Calhoun stepped closer to him, gently reaching for his injured hand. 

“Have you been icing it? And taking an anti-inflammatory?” she asked.

“And I kept it wrapped up under my glove all day at work,” he replied with a nod.

“Good,” she said.

She held his hand gently between her own as she examined his bruised fingers. Felix felt the heat rising to his cheeks as he began to blush–he had to stop himself from swooning at how much she seemed to care about his well-being. She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze and he felt his blush deepen. 

“Can I ask you something?” he said softly. She nodded in response. “Was this an accident, or did you leave these dog tags in my truck on purpose?”

“They fell off while I was adjusting the seat,” she answered. “But I may have ‘forgotten’ to pick them up off the floor.”

“I thought you said I didn’t need an excuse,” he smiled.

“You don’t,” she replied, “but I decided to give you one just in case.”

“Can I ask you something else?” he asked, his smile beginning to grow. Once again, she nodded. “Can I take you out sometime?”

“I get off early tomorrow if you want to do dinner,” she responded.

“That sounds wonderful,” he said, beaming with excitement.

Unable to help himself, he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. Her grip on his hand tightened instinctively, and he yelped in pain.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” she said, releasing his hand and stepping back.

“No, I’m sorry,” he replied, taking half a step back toward her. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Don’t apologize. It was nice,” she admitted, cursing herself for the blush she could feel flaring up in her cheeks. “It just caught me a little off guard.”

“How I about I ask first this time?” he said quietly, taking that last step forward to close the gap between them.

“That could work,” she replied.

“Miss Calhoun,” he murmured, leaning in closer to her. “Can I–”

“Tamora,” she interrupted.

“What?” he asked.

“My name,” she said. “I know you saw it on the dog tags. My name is Tamora.”

“It’s a beautiful name,” he replied, a bit starry-eyed as a result of hearing her say it out loud. “I just wasn’t sure if you wanted me to use it.”

“Well, it would be a little awkward to go on a date with someone who keeps calling me ‘ma’am,’“ she smirked. “I think it’s safe to say we’re on a first-name basis now.”

“Alright, ‘Tamora’ it is,” he said with a smile, the words tingling on his tongue. 

They locked eyes and Felix felt all his senses heighten with anticipation as she slowly began leaning in toward him. Everything around them melted away as her piercing blue eyes met his. He was completely numb to everything except for the magnetic attraction that pulled his lips toward hers and the surge of electricity that pulsed through his veins. His eyes slid shut as his nose brushed against hers, and he could hear his heart thumping in his ears with every millisecond that passed. 

The unmistakable sound of something hitting metal ripped through the dreamy haze that surrounded them. They stepped away from each other, looking down to see Hank’s legs moving on the ground beside them.

“ _Shit_ ,” his voice echoed from underneath the car.

Tamora shook her head and reached down to grab his foot, pulling him out from under the car on the creeper upon which he had just been sleeping. He sat up, rubbing his forehead in pain.

“How bad is it this time?” she asked, examining the bruise. Hank removed his hands from his face and looked up at her. “Eh, it’s been worse. But this is why you shouldn’t nap down there, we’ve had this conversation before.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hank replied, standing up and walking out of the garage.

“Put some ice on it, I’ll be there in a minute,” Tamora called after him.

She turned back toward Felix, who had stood awkwardly to the side during the exchange. His cheeks were still a bit flushed as a result of the almost-kiss that had just been interrupted.

“He does this all the time, falls asleep underneath a car and then hits his head trying to get up,” she explained. “I should probably go check on him, though.”

“Of course, do whatever you need to do,” he replied. “I’ll see you for dinner tomorrow night.”

“Maybe this time you’ll make it out unscathed,” she teased. “As you can see, I have a bit of a reputation for bringing about personal injury toward everyone I come into contact with.”

“This one was all Hank,” Felix chuckled. “And besides, I happen to believe that your company is worth the risk.”

Tamora smiled at him, and he was momentarily overwhelmed by his desire to man up and kiss her already, but the moment had passed and he would just have to try again tomorrow. 

“Goodnight, Tamora,” he said, turning to leave the garage.

“Hey, Felix,” she called out to him. He turned back toward her. “Don’t you dare try to cancel on me last minute with some excuse about your car breaking down. You can’t get rid of me that easy, I’ll just come fix it for you.”

“Never in a million years, Tamora,” he replied with a smile. 

The coy smile she gave him pierced straight through his heart, and in that moment he knew he was already falling for her, and falling hard.

“Thanks to you, I’m done making excuses.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Thanks for dinner, Felix,” Tamora said as the truck slowed to a stop outside her apartment building.

“Thank you for a wonderful evening, Tamora,” he smiled. “Can I walk you to your door?”

Tamora nodded, and he hopped out of the driver’s seat and walked around the front of the car to open the passenger door. They both knew she didn’t need anyone’s help getting inside, but she couldn’t deny the warm, fluttery feeling in her chest when he offered. No one had tried to take care of her in a long time, and it was sweet coming from Felix. He opened her door and offered his hand to help her down, and found himself unwilling to break that connection once she had gotten out of the truck. A charming blush bloomed on his cheeks as he pushed the door closed with his free hand.

“Oh, before we head inside,” he said, reaching into his pocket and procuring her dog tags. “I forgot to give these back to you yesterday.”

“Did you forget, or did you ‘forget?’” Tamora teased.

“I’m not quite as ‘forgetful’ as you are, ma’am,” he replied. 

“Well, if I happened to ‘forget’ to take these back from you tonight,” she began with a coy smile, “maybe you could come by the shop tomorrow to drop them off.”

“I thought we agreed I wasn’t making anymore excuses,” he said, a playful glint in his eye.

“I’ll allow it, just this once.”

“Then I have to wonder,” he said, “is this excuse for me or for you?”

“Does it matter who it’s for if we both win?” she asked, slowly moving in closer.

Felix slipped the dog tags back into his pocket.

“No,” he murmured.

Mustering all his courage, he closed the remaining distance between them, hesitating for only a moment before leaning in to press his lips against hers. She smiled into the kiss, pulling him close by the front of his shirt. His hand clasped around hers just a bit more tightly as his free hand reached up to cup her cheek. Everything about it was intoxicating, from the softness of her lips to the firm grip she had on his shirt collar. It pained him to pull away, but his racing heart made it difficult to breathe, and he wanted to remain conscious to get Tamora home safely.

“I forgot how good that feels,” he sighed.

“How good what feels?” she asked.

“Kissing someone you really like,” he answered, barely able to contain his smile.

“I was wondering when you’d finally work up the nerve to do that,” she said.

“You know, you could’ve done that at any time,” he said. “I wouldn’t’ve had any objections.”

“I know,” she replied with a sly grin. “But it was pretty cute watching you try.”

“Oh, I see. You just like watching me suffer,” he chuckled.

“At least this suffering didn’t involve any physical injury,” she replied.

“That’s true,” he said. “But if I have to slam my other hand in the hood of my truck in order to kiss you again, I think it’d be worth it.”

* * *

After a few more minutes of teasing, they finally managed to tear themselves away from the dreamy haze of the moment, though their hands remained connected as Felix walked Tamora to her apartment. While he had been fairly confident outside, here at her door he appeared somewhat bashful as he bid her goodnight.

“Thank you for spending your evening with me, Tamora,” he said. “I really enjoyed spending time with you.”

“Me too, Felix,” she replied with a soft smile.

“You’ll probably hear from me around lunchtime tomorrow once I realize I ‘forgot’ to give your dog tags back to you,” he said.

“Sounds like a plan,” she replied. “I’ll be waiting.”

His eyes wandered down to her lips, and Tamora smirked as she yanked him close and kissed him. His noise of surprise quickly gave way to a contented sigh as he let himself melt in her embrace. She released him after a few heated seconds, admiring the rosy hue in his cheeks.

“N’ here I thought you were gonna let me keep suffering,” he said, a lovestruck smile adorning his face.

“I figure you’ve suffered enough already,” she teased. “But tomorrow you might not be so lucky.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he chuckled.

“Goodnight, Felix,” she said, shaking her head in amusement as she entered her apartment and shut the door.

Felix pulled her dog tags from his pocket, sighing happily as he ran his fingers over her name.

“Goodnight, Tamora.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're gonna be skipping around the timeline from here on out. This chapter takes place a few weeks into their relationship.

“You know, you really didn’t have to help me clean up,” Felix said as he scrubbed the kitchen sponge over a dirty plate. “I was more than happy to let you relax while I took care of this.”

“I know,” Tamora replied as she set down the bowl she had just finished drying. “But it’d be pretty boring to sit on the couch by myself while you did this.”

“Well, I appreciate you takin’ the time to help out,” he smiled. 

“It’s the least I could do after you put all that effort into cooking everything,” she said.

“It was no trouble at all, Tammy,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to cook for you for a while now.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Mmhmm,” he answered. “There’s something I just love about sharing a meal with someone, and I’ve always felt that making the food yourself is even more special. Like I’m putting a secret message in with every bite.”

“Oh yeah?” Tamora replied, her eyes gleaming with interest. “So what was the message?”

“Well… It’s probably gonna sound silly,” he answered bashfully. “I just… I want you to feel at home here. I want you to know that you are always welcome, no matter what else is going on. That this is somewhere you can go when everything outside is weighing you down. I know that probably doesn’t make any sense.”

“No, it makes perfect sense, Felix,” she said, touched by his sentiments. “Your message came through just fine.”

“Really?” 

“Uh-huh,” she smiled. “Now why don’t you come a little closer so I can give you a secret message of my own?”

He turned off the sink and turned to face her. Tamora leaned in close and pressed her lips against his, and his eyes slid closed as he gave himself over to the rush of warmth that flooded his system. It was almost unbelievable how quickly she could make him feel this way, like everything else in the world had disappeared. Felix sighed as she pulled away and the spell was broken, everything around them slowly fading back into reality. 

“Did you get that or do you need me to translate?” Tamora teased.

“Oh, I heard it loud and clear,” he swooned. “But if you feel that it needs repeating, that’s fine by me.”

Tamora chuckled, pulling him in for a quick peck before pulling away again. She could practically see the hearts in his eyes as he heaved a happy sigh.

“You doin’ alright there?” she asked with an amused smile. “Seems like your head’s up on Jupiter.”

“I’m perfectly fine, Tammy,” he said, beginning to come down from cloud nine. “I just can’t help but get a little starry-eyed when I’m with such a dynamite gal.”

The air in the room changed immediately, and Felix looked around in confusion for a moment in an attempt to figure out what had gone wrong. Tamora looked as though she was in pain, and she brought a hand up to her forehead. 

“Tammy? Is everything alright?” he asked.

His words barely registered in her mind; it felt as though her head was underwater, and Felix’s voice was distant and distorted as he called out to her from the surface.

“Tamora, what’s the matter?” he asked, growing more panicked by the second.

He placed a hand on her arm, a lifeline that dragged her suddenly back onto land. She was gasping for breath, unaware of the tears that streamed down her cheeks. Felix looked terrified and he froze, unsure how to approach the situation.

“Are you okay?” he asked, a noticeable shake in his voice.

In that moment, it all became too overwhelming for Tamora to handle. She couldn’t stay here and look into Felix’s horrified eyes while she explained the painful memories that had caused her to break down so suddenly. There was no way she could stay in his apartment for another minute without saying or doing something she would later regret.

“I have to go,” she rasped.

“No, wait,” he said, rushing after her as she headed for the door. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I can’t.”

“Please, don’t go,” he replied, reaching out to grab her hand. “I’m worried about you.”

“Just leave me alone,” she snapped, pulling her hand away from him. She took one look into his wounded eyes and immediately regretted her actions. “I’ll call you later. I’m sorry.”

“Tamora, please,” he said, his voice weak as he spoke around the lump in his throat. “I just want to understand.”

Their eyes met and Tamora saw the genuine worry and hurt that shone through in his expression. She faltered for a moment–she wanted more than anything to let him in, but she didn’t know how. Her face hardened once more as she replied.

“There’s nothing for you to understand,” she said calmly. “I just need to be alone right now. I can’t stay here.”

Before Felix could make another attempt to convince her to stay, a loud crack of thunder took them both by surprise. Felix turned to the window just in time to see lightning strike nearby as it began to rain.

“I know you need your space right now, and I am more than willing to give it to you,” he said, “but please don’t go out in this storm. It’s not safe, especially not on your bike.”

Tamora groaned at the thought of being stuck here with him for the night. As much as she would normally enjoy it, right now what she needed was to get as far away from him as possible.

“If you stay here tonight, I promise not to talk about this anymore,” he reasoned. “I just want you to be safe. Please stay.”

Tamora sighed, cursing herself for choosing to ride her motorcycle over instead of letting Felix come pick her up like he had offered. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She would never make it home in one piece in this weather.

“Fine,” she grumbled.

“Thank you,” he said, sighing in relief. “I’ll let you sleep in my room, and I’ll go to the spare bedroom. I probably have something comfy you can use for pajamas tonight.”

Tamora nodded and followed Felix into his bedroom. He handed her a t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants and got things ready in the bedroom while she went into the bathroom to change. He had just finished turning down the sheets when she emerged, and he found himself taken aback at the sight of her in his clothes.

“Wow,” he said, unable to stop himself. “You look good in that.”

“The pants are too short,” she said, and he thought he saw a hint of a smile.

“And you still manage to look better in my clothes than I do,” he replied. He paused for a moment, trying to decide whether or not to say anything else. “Look, Tammy, I… I’m sorry for whatever I did tonight. And I want you to know you can talk to me about this whenever you feel ready.”

They shared a moment of eye contact, each of them having so much more to say without having the right words. Felix grabbed his own pajamas and headed for the door. 

“I promised I wouldn’t talk about it, so I’ll give you some space now,” he said. “I’ll be in the next room if you need anything.”

Tamora nodded and he turned to go. Before leaving the room, he looked back at her as she settled into his bed.

“Goodnight, Tamora.”

“Goodnight, Felix.”

* * *

Several hours later, Felix still hadn’t managed to fall asleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about Tamora; he wanted to know if she was alright, and it killed him to be so close to her and still be unable to go check on her. It was a bit disappointing to him that this would be the first time she ever stayed the night at his apartment. He had always imagined this night happening under much different circumstances–circumstances that didn’t include her refusing to speak to him for reasons he didn’t understand.

His racing mind coupled with the storm that was still brewing outside spelled a night with little to no sleep for him. He sighed, rolling onto his side to face the window. More than anything, he hoped that he and Tamora would be able to talk things out in the morning. The last thing he wanted was to lose her over this.

Suddenly, he thought he heard the door crack open behind him. His ears perked up but he remained still, listening intently for any more clues that Tamora was nearby. Her footsteps were barely audible as she approached the bed, and he froze as he felt her pull back the covers and climb into bed with him. Afraid that he would scare her away if she knew he was awake, he didn’t move as she scooted up close to him. This proved difficult as she draped her arm over his side and spooned him, an action that made his heart melt.

Once she had settled in, he silently adjusted his position, placing his hand over hers and intertwining their fingers. Smiling to himself, he was finally able to relax and give himself over to sleep knowing that he and Tamora would be able to work things out.

They were going to be alright.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know I said we were gonna be hopping around the timeline from here on out (and we will!) but this chapter is a continuation of the last one because I couldn't help myself but to wrap things up nicely.

The next morning, it was still raining and Felix and Tamora were still cuddled close together in the small bed in his guest bedroom. Felix smiled as he stirred and felt her arm still wrapped around him, holding him close. He carefully lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles, sighing happily as he placed it back on the mattress.

“Do you always wake up this happy?” Tamora mumbled.

Felix turned over his shoulder to look at her, his gaze soft as their eyes met.

“Only when I’m with you,” he said.

He rolled over to face her and reached out to brush her bangs out of her eyes. 

“Do you always wake up looking this perfect?” he asked, his hand moving to caress her cheek.

“This is perfect to you?” she replied, downplaying his compliment with an incredulous chuckle.

“ _You_ are perfect to me,” he smiled as his thumb stroked her cheek.

Tamora pulled him close by the front of his shirt and kissed him deeply. He thought his heart might stop–it hit him all at once that she was here in bed with him, that she had spent the night and woken up beside him, and all these factors culminated in a kiss that left him breathless. When she severed their connection, he was too stunned to even open his eyes. He didn’t pull away, nuzzling his nose against hers while he caught his breath.

“It makes me so happy that I woke up with you today, Tamora,” he murmured, finally opening his eyes to meet her gaze. 

“Me, too,” she admitted. “I hope it’s okay that I came in here last night. I know I said I needed space, and I did need it, but then when I couldn’t sleep I just…”

“It’s more than okay,” he said. “I told you to come find me if you needed anything. Even if all you needed was a little spoon.”

He chuckled and she gave him a small smile, but he could see in her eyes that  the previous night’s events were still weighing on her mind. She glanced down away from him, unsure how to broach the subject. 

“Look, Felix, about last night…” she said, bracing herself to open up to him. “That was the first time you’ve ever seen me like that. But if you’re serious about this, if you really want to be with me, it won’t be the last.”

“Of course I’m serious,” he replied.

She took a deep breath.

“Well, you’ve seen my dog tags, so you know I was in the military,” she said. “I was an active duty marine for a few years before I moved here.”

“A sergeant,” Felix said, remembering the title on her dog tags. Tamora nodded.

“I lost someone I was very close to,” she said, skirting around the details to avoid another meltdown. “We were engaged.”

“Oh my land,” Felix gasped.

“Last night, you used a nickname for me that he used to use all the time, too,” she said. “I hadn’t heard it in a long time, and it hit me pretty hard when you said it.”

“Tammy, I am so sorry,” he replied.

“It’s alright,” she said. “You didn’t know, and you didn’t do it on purpose. I shouldn’t have shut you out like that.”

“I completely understand why you did,” he said. “I’m sorry that I pushed you so hard to talk to me about it. I should’ve just listened to you.”

“It’s okay, Felix,” she assured him. “I know you were just trying to understand. But when I get hit with those memories, I just shut down. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t explain what was happening inside my head.”

“I promise to pay more attention to what you need next time,” he said. “Whether that’s some time alone or someone to cuddle with.”

“Thank you, Felix,” she said, and they both smiled. “I will say, you’re a pretty great cuddler.”

“Me? Oh no, I think if either of us is a master at cuddling, it’s you,” he said. “I was so cozy with you wrapped around me.”

“That’s only because you’re the perfect, compact size,” she replied. 

They shared a moment of quiet laughter. A thought crossed each of their minds, and they wondered who would be brave enough to say it out loud.

“You know,” Felix began, “we make a pretty good fit.”

“In more than one way, I think,” Tamora responded.

“I think you’re right,” he replied.

She closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to his in an ardent kiss. There were so many emotions swirling around in her mind that she couldn’t possibly articulate them, but she needed him to know how grateful she was for his patient, caring nature. It had been years since she felt this comfortable with anyone, and it almost made her feel like a brand new version of herself. Felix was completely dazed by the time she pulled away, his entire face flushed pink.

“Is it just me,” he said, “or was there a secret message in there somewhere?”

“Ah, good, you got it,” Tamora played along. “I was worried it got lost in translation.”

“No, ma’am,” he sighed, a lazy grin plastered on his face. “I heard it clear as day.”


	7. Test Drive

“Wanna go for a ride?”

“You know, I… I’m not so sure I should.”

Felix nervously rubbed the back of his neck as he and Tamora stood outside the garage. He had come by to say hello during his lunch break and she had excitedly invited him outside to take a look at a project she had just finished up, and now he stood face-to-face with a newly restored motorcycle.

“What, haven’t you ever ridden a motorcycle before?” she asked.

“I can’t say that I have, Tamora,” he admitted. “Isn’t it a little unsafe?”

“Not if you know what you’re doing.”

He almost asked if  _she_  knew what she was doing, but held back, deciding it would be better if he didn’t know the answer to that question.

“I don’t know about this.”

“Oh, come on, Felix,” she said, giving him a playful pout. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do,” he answered.

It was true; his aversion to getting on her bike had much less to do with his level of trust in her than it did his aversion to humiliating himself in front of her. Eventually, she was bound to discover his embarrassingly anxious nature, but he had hoped that day would be further down the road when their relationship was more established–not when they had only been on a handful of dates.

“Look, I can tell you’re nervous about this,” she said. “If we both wear helmets and I promise to take it easy on you, will you give it a try?”

“Well…”

He chewed his lip as he weighed the possibilities. Sure, the gleam of the sun off the side of the bike seemed to foretell a gruesome, fiery death, but if he were going to die today, there were certainly worse ways to go than with a beautiful woman on the back of her motorcycle. 

“Fine,” he conceded. “But no speeding.”

“Deal,” she replied, handing him a helmet as she swung her leg over the bike and sat down. Felix hesitated for a moment before getting on behind her. “I’ve been dying to finally take this thing for a test drive.”

“Wait, what?” Felix asked as the engine roared to life. “You haven’t driven it before now?!”

Before he could change his mind or ask anymore questions, Tamora took off, giving Felix no choice but to wrap his arms around her middle and hang on for dear life. He yelped as they turned a corner, and his grip around her waist tightened every time they passed another vehicle.

“Could you maybe go a little slower?” he asked.

“I’m already going ten under the speed limit,” she smirked. “How ya holdin’ up back there?”

“I’m okay,” he answered, but she could hear the shake in his voice even over the sound of the engine.

She decided to take him a little further off the beaten path, turning off the main road onto a smaller backroad. Soon, a lake came into view, and she nudged him with her elbow.

“Felix, look.”

He lifted his head and turned to look, finding himself in awe at the incredible view before him. He had driven his truck down this road and seen this exact view many times, but something about it felt different this time. Having no barrier between himself and the outside world was strangely freeing, and he felt closer to nature than he ever had while driving this path in his truck. 

“This is amazing,” he said breathlessly.

Tamora glanced back at him and smiled to herself at the look of wonderment on his face. He finally began to relax and enjoy the ride as they rounded the lake and made their way to a wooded area where a forest of trees lined both sides of the road. She took a chance and revved the engine, speeding up as they drove through to the other side of the woods. Much to her surprise, Felix whooped and laughed in response, removing one of his hands from her waist and holding it up in the air. 

It was nearing the end of Felix’s lunch hour by the time Tamora pulled her motorcycle around the back of the garage and they took off their helmets. He sighed disappointedly as he realized they would now have to part ways for the rest of the day. As they dismounted the bike, he searched for the right words to express his experience to her.

“Thank you, Tamora,” he said. “I was a little scared going into that, but you made it a lot of fun for me.”

“I’m glad,” she replied with a smile. “Maybe you can join me for another test drive sometime.”

“I’d like that,” he said. 

He reached up to cup her cheek, pulling her close and planting a heated kiss on her lips. His free hand landed in the small of her back, keeping her near. Something about sharing such an exciting experience with her had awakened all kinds of new feelings, and he couldn’t bring himself to hold them back. After a moment, his emotions began to settle, and he pulled away from her as he realized what he had just done. He had never kissed her that way before, and now he was terrified that he had crossed the line.

“I’m sorry, Tamora, the adrenaline just went to my head and I–”

Felix was cut off as her lips found his once more, and his heart beat wildly in his chest as she kissed him with twice as much vigor as he had just displayed. It nearly knocked him over, but he recovered quickly and wasted no time returning the affection. She held the kiss for a good, long moment, leaving him a blushing, babbling mess by the time she pulled away.

“Don’t apologize,” she said. “If you want to kiss me, then kiss me. No apology necessary.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said breathlessly, still recovering from the searing intensity of her kiss.

He leaned up and pressed his lips to hers once more, softly this time. 

“I can’t help but think that’s a bit of a dangerous proposition, though,” he said, his lips moving against hers.

“Why’s that?” she asked.

“If I kissed you every time I wanted to, I would never stop.”


	8. I Love You

Tamora leaned on the kitchen counter, watching as Felix cooked dinner. He had just finished recounting the tale of a particularly pesky appliance that had caused him trouble during his workday when it hit her.

“I love you,” she said.

The words came so easily that she hadn’t even taken a moment to consider them before they escaped her mouth. Regret began to brew in the pit of her stomach as she felt the true the weight of her actions. Felix put down the spatula he had been holding and turned away from the stove to face her. 

“What?”

He said it so quietly she almost didn’t hear him, as though she were some kind of frightened animal who would be scared into hiding if he spoke any louder. She could see that he was holding himself back from stepping closer to her; he knew how delicate this situation was, and he was terrified of making the wrong move. Her mind raced as the room began to spin and everything around her became a blur. Felix’s eyes were the only detail that remained crystal clear, so big and blue and full of concern and fear. She couldn’t bear to look into those eyes knowing that if she stayed, the only emotion she would see reflected in them would be hurt.

“I have to go.”

She turned away from him and walked toward the door. Felix hurriedly flipped off the stove and followed behind her.

“Tammy, wait.”

“I can’t do this right now, Felix.”

She had nearly reached the exit when she felt his hand wrap around hers.

“Please, stop,” he pleaded with her, his voice quiet and surprisingly calm. “Don’t go.”

“I have to,” she said, refusing to turn and look at him. “I can’t stay.”

She pulled her hand away from his and took the last few steps toward the door. Her hand had just reached the doorknob when his voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Tamora Jean Calhoun, I said stop,” he said, his tone shockingly authoritative as his frustration bubbled to the surface. “You don’t get to do this, you don’t get to say something like that and then just leave. It’s not fair to me.”

Releasing the doorknob, she finally turned to meet his gaze. He looked angry, but underneath that was hurt and confusion that she felt immeasurably guilty about causing.

“I know these conversations are hard for you, and I want to be understanding when you need space,” he said, “but I have a pretty big stake in this conversation and I can’t let you walk out the door and take it with you.”

“I just don’t think I can have this conversation right now,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

“Then you don’t have to say anything,” he replied. “But  _please_  give me a chance to tell you how I feel.”

“I think we should do this some other time, when we’re both in a better frame of–”

“Tammy, I’m trying to tell you that I love you,” he interrupted, forcing the words out into the open before his opportunity was lost.

They looked at each other in stunned silence for a moment before Tamora collected her thoughts.

“No, you don’t,” she said.

“How can you say that?” he replied, offended by her accusation. “Of course I do.”

“Because I know you’re a smart person, Felix,” she said. “And anyone with a brain knows better than to fall in love with me. I’m bad news.”

“Bad news? Tammy, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said. “You have made my life so much better than it was before.”

“How?” she asked in disbelief.

“Well, how about we start the night we met? I was panicking in my car on the side of the road and you came to my rescue,” he said. “You taught me how to do some of my own car repairs, and you helped me realize I needed to stop making excuses and be more upfront with people about my feelings. All in the first day we met.”

“That doesn’t mean you love me,” she replied.

“Alright. Well what about the first time we rode your motorcycle together?” he added. “I was scared out of my wits, but I wound up having so much fun because of you. Nobody else could have done that.”

Tamora shook her head and looked down, letting her bangs slide down and cover her face.

“The first time I kissed you, I felt so…gosh, I can’t even describe it. It was one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced, and it happens all over again every single time you kiss me,” he said, his cheeks flushing at the mere memory. “In that moment, I knew we could have something real between us, and I was right.”

“This is all very sweet,” she said, still refusing to accept his feelings. “But I don’t think you know what you’re getting into. I’m not an easy person to love. I can’t put you through that kind of struggle.”

“Tamora, do you want to know how I know I love you?” he asked. She nodded. “Because when I’m with you, I feel at home.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out her dog tags.

“I carry these with me every single day, because it makes me smile when I put my hand in my pocket and find a little reminder of you in there,” he said, smiling to himself even now as he held them in his hand. “You know I’m a bit of a nervous nellie. I’m always antsy, and I’ve never really been good at relaxing. But when I’m with you, I feel like I can finally slow down and take a breath.”

Tamora’s expression softened a bit as he spoke. He stepped closer to her and took her hand.

“No matter what’s goin’ on out there, I know I’ll feel better when I’m with you,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze as he slipped the dog tags back into his pocket. “You make me feel so calm, like somehow everything’s gonna work out just fine because you’re here.”

The gears in Tamora’s mind slowed to a halt as Felix spoke. She couldn’t comprehend the fact that someone felt this way about her, and she  _certainly_  didn’t think it was possible that she could have such a positive impact on another person. As unbelievable as she found his confession to be, when her eyes met his, she could see the love he had described shining through.

“Tamora Jean Calhoun, I love you,” he said softly, enveloping her hand in both of his. “Whatever I have to do to prove it to you, just say the word and I’ll do it.”

It finally clicked in her head that he meant what he said; he really did love her. Exhaling a shaky breath, she reached out with her free hand, raking her nails into the hair at the back of his head, and pulled him close for a searing kiss. It only took him a moment to recover from the impact before he cupped her cheek in his hand and reciprocated in full. They couldn’t seem to get close enough to one another, their hands quickly untangling from each other. Tamora used her newly freed appendage to grip his shoulder, while Felix wrapped his arm around her back. Unwilling to sacrifice a single second of the intense connection they shared, they didn’t separate until the need for air became too great, and they rested their foreheads together as they caught their breath.

“Do you believe me now?” Felix panted, his smile so wide it threatened to split his cheeks.

Tamora nodded, and they shared a moment of quiet laughter as their joy overflowed. Felix leaned up to give her another tender kiss.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that this beats our first kiss,” he said. “But only by a smidge.”

“I just might be inclined to agree with you,” she teased, giving him a quick peck on the lips. And then another. And another. “I love you.”

Felix kissed her again, unable to hold himself back–the warm feeling that rose up in his chest when she said those three words to him could not be matched.

“I love  _you_ , Tammy Jean,” he said with a grin.

“Believe me,” she said with a smile, “I know.”


	9. Ride

Felix smiled as he walked into the garage and saw Tamora bent over the engine of a stretch limousine. It always made him happy to see her like this, so completely in her element as she worked. He removed his hat, wringing it in his hands as he approached her.

“Hi, Tammy,” he said softly.

The look of quiet focus on her face disappeared as she turned to look at him.

“Felix,” she said, surprised to see him standing in front of her. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you still be at work?”

“I finished up a little early today, so I thought I’d come by ‘n see if you wanted to go get some dinner once you’re done here,” he explained. “I’m sorry, I probably shouldn’t’ve bothered you at work.”

“No harm done,” she said with a small smile. “I was going to call you as soon as I was done anyway. Now I don’t have to.”

“I’m glad I could be of service then, ma’am,” he joked, placing his hat back on his head. “And if I’m tellin’ the truth, I just really wanted to see you. I haven’t been able to get you off my mind today.”

“That so?” Tamora asked, straightening her posture and closing the distance between them.

Felix nodded, a hint of a blush beginning to make itself known on his cheeks.

“I thought about calling instead of just showing up, but I just couldn’t wait to get to you,” he admitted, his blush darkening. Tamora leaned in and pressed her lips to his in a steamy kiss, leaving him dumbfounded after she pulled away. “Plus, I can’t do  _that_  over the phone.”

“Ah, I knew you had an ulterior motive,” she teased.

“Guilty as charged,” he smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist.

He kissed her again, smiling into the affection as she draped her arms over his shoulders and leaned into him. After a long moment, he pulled away, humming in contentment.

“I should probably let you get back to work,” he sighed disappointedly.

“No need, I was just wrapping up when you got here,” she said. He perked up at this news.

“I’ve never seen you all work on a limo before,” he commented. “Looks pretty fancy.”

“If you think that now, you should see the inside,” she said. 

She pulled the back door open and Felix poked his head inside. Although he had never been in a limousine before, he was certain that this must be a more high-end model, because it was fancier than anything he had ever seen. The backseat was spacious with a cushy leather interior and a fully-stocked minibar; the entire space was dark and sleek, giving him the impression that this was the kind of vehicle someone would take to an expensive party. 

“Jiminy jaminy,” he said, pulling his head out of the backseat. 

“And check this out,” Tamora said, opening the driver door to start the car up.

When Felix looked back into the car, the backseat was illuminated by a strand of lights that ran across the length of the ceiling, giving everything a blue-ish glow.

“Wow,” he said, straightening out to stand next to her once again.

“You know,” she said, a familiar mischievous glint in her eye as she shut the driver door, “that backseat is pretty roomy. What do you say we go for a little ride?”

“I don’t think we should be driving around in someone else’s car,” Felix replied, completely oblivious to the innuendo in her suggestion.

“That’s not the kind of ride I meant,” she said, draping one arm across his shoulders while her free hand lightly rubbed up and down his chest.

“You want to–? In  _there?_ ” he stammered, growing increasingly flustered. “Tammy, we can’t do that!”

“Oh, come on,” she said. “It’s not like we haven’t done anything like it before.”

“That was different!” he said. “A little necking in my truck after the shop is closed for the day is not the same as making love in the back of a limo that doesn’t belong to us while the garage is still open.”

“Please?” she asked, her lips against his ear and her tone seductive as her fingers toyed with the buttons on his shirt. “You said you’ve been thinking about me all day. Well, I’ve been thinking about you, too.”

“Tammy…” he groaned, finding it more and more difficult to resist her. It’s not that he  _wanted_  to say no, he just couldn’t help but think of the possible consequences of partaking in such an intimate activity in a public space. “This isn’t fair. You know how much I want you.”

“If you get in this car with me, you can have me right now,” she said, leaning into him.

“What if we get caught?” he asked. 

“Hank’s the only other person here, and he’s asleep at the front counter,” Tamora said. She could feel his defenses weakening and she smiled. “So what do you say?”

She pressed a teasing kiss against his mouth, so light that their lips just barely brushed. Unable to hold back his desire after she pulled away, his lips were on hers again as he pulled her close for a hungry kiss that knocked his hat off and onto the floor. Tamora chuckled as she slowly backed him up toward the open door to the backseat.

“You don’t know how hard it is for me to say no to you,” he murmured. “Next time, I won’t give in so easily.”

“I’m sure you won’t,” Tamora replied sarcastically as she pushed him down onto the leather seat.

“You don’t sound very convinced,” he said.

“Can you blame me?” she said with a smirk.

She climbed in next and shut the door behind her. He gulped at the almost predatory look she was giving him as she moved in closer to him. His nerves began to dissipate as she kissed him again; no matter what else was going on, those kisses always had a way of making him forget where he was. 

“When’s the last time you let yourself do something crazy like this?” Tamora asked, rubbing his growing hardness over his jeans with the heel of her hand.

“Never,” he answered, letting his lips wander down her neck.

“Really?” she asked, but she wasn’t surprised by his answer.

“Before I met you, I’d never even gotten into anything more than a quick kiss outside the privacy of my home,” he said. “But when I’m with you, I just can’t wait until we get somewhere more private. Once you get me going I take one look at you and I just… I need you.”

Tamora found herself somewhat shocked by his confession. While he had always been an open book when it came to his feelings for her, he was shy when it came to sex and rarely spoke up about his desires. Of course his attraction to her was more than obvious based on his enthusiasm in the bedroom, but he had never articulated his passion in this way.

“I’ve never heard you talk like this before,” she said as she began unbuttoning his shirt.

“Somethin’ about the way you pushed me into the back of a stranger’s car because you want me right here and now lit a fire inside me,” he said, reaching for the zipper on her jumpsuit. “You’ve never been scared of tellin’ me what you want. I wish I could be more like that.”

“Then tell me,” she said, placing her hand over his. “What do you want?”

Felix didn’t respond right away, slowly looking her over as he considered what he wanted most. Their eyes met and his lustful gaze sent a rush of warm longing straight to her core. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could wait for him to make up his mind; if he didn’t decide on something soon, she was going to do it for him. 

“Well, first I want to get you out of this uniform,” he said, his fingers ever-so-slowly tugging at her zipper. “I want to look at you in this light. You know how much I love seein’ you in blue.”

“Mmhmm,” she replied, slipping her boots off before he finished unzipping her jumpsuit. “And then what?”

She slipped her arms out of the sleeves, exposing her bare chest. His breath hitched as she slid the garment down her legs and revealed that she was fully nude underneath.

“Have–” he paused to clear his throat, “Have you been naked under there for the entire day?”

Tamora grinned and nodded, lying across the length of the seat and pulling Felix over top of her by the front of his shirt. He felt the distinct sensation of blood rushing down south as desire pulsed through his veins.

“So you weren’t lyin’ when you said you’ve been thinking about this all day,” he said, his voice low and husky. “You planned for this.”

“I’ve wanted to do this since they dropped the limo off three days ago,” she said. “It gets detailed in the morning and then they come back to pick it up, so this was our last chance.”

“Well, if it’s getting cleaned inside and out, then I’m sure they won’t mind if things get a little messy in here,” he murmured in her ear.

His words sent a thrill down her spine; he had never been very comfortable talking like this in the bedroom, and although this wasn’t exactly on the extreme end of “dirty” talk, it was a more sexually-charged statement than she had ever heard from him. 

Felix finally sprang into action, his lips traveling down from her ear to leave a trail of kisses down her neck and chest. He paused to give her breasts some attention, taking one of her nipples into his mouth while his hand fondled the opposite mound of flesh. She couldn’t suppress a quiet chuckle as his lips made their way down her stomach, and she felt him smile against her skin as he realized what he had done. With a glint of mischief in his eye he pressed a few more kisses to the area, reveling in her laughter as a result of his gentle tickling.

Sliding down off the seat, he settled on his knees on the floor, draped her legs over his shoulders, and carefully pulled her forward to the edge of the seat. He brought his mouth to her inner thigh, where his open-mouthed kisses quickly turned into greedy suckles. Tamora gasped as his lips neared the crux of her legs, only to huff in disappointment when they found their way to her other thigh instead. Before long, her soft skin was littered with evidence of his passion, small purple and red marks scattered across the inside of her thighs. 

Having decided to finally end her torture, Felix brought his mouth to her, running his tongue up and down her folds. Tamora raked her nails across his scalp, grabbing fistfuls of his hair, as he closed his lips around her clitoris and sucked on the small bud. She couldn’t keep still as wave after wave of pleasure hit her–she propped herself up on her elbows to watch him, only to drop down on her back as she was overcome by another wave. Her hands, too, were restless, releasing his hair to run through her own, then finding their way to her breasts.

Noticing this fit of frantic movement, he reached out for her hand and intertwined their fingers. His other hand came out from under her leg and smoothed over her breast, causing her body to tense up under his touch. He picked up the pace, giving her nipple a gentle pinch as he lapped the tip of his tongue over her clitoris.

“Oh god,  _Felix_ ,” she moaned as she neared her climax.

He didn’t let up, his lips and tongue moving intently to pull her over the edge. This was always his favorite part of any intimate encounter with Tamora; watching her reach the peak of satisfaction and knowing he was the cause was better than any successful repair or freshly-baked pie. Her grip on his hand tightened and he knew she had reached it. His eyes were glued to hers as she rode it out and he didn’t stop until her body finally stilled. 

He was panting for breath when he pulled away, and he took a moment to press a few tender kisses to her thigh before untangling himself from her legs. She pushed herself into an upright position and he sat up on his knees as she grabbed his collar and pulled him into a kiss. Neither of them was in any rush to end it, preferring instead to let it linger so they could simply enjoy this moment of closeness. Felix hummed in contentment as Tamora pulled away.

“You sure you don’t want me to keep going?” he asked with a smile. “‘Cause I could do that all night.”

Tamora playfully rolled her eyes and pulled him up on the seat beside her. She climbed onto his lap, her thighs on either side of him.

“Someday I might take you up on that offer,” she said, “but right now I want to take you for that ride we talked about.”

She pushed his shirt back off his shoulders and got to work on his belt as he shrugged out of the garment. Making quick work of the button and zipper on his jeans, she yanked his pants and boxers down a ways, freeing him up for her to grab. He leaned forward to push the remaining obstacles down his legs, where they pooled around his ankles. In the same moment, she wrapped her hand around his erection and began stroking him. Felix pressed his face into her chest and shuddered under her touch.

“Oh, Tammy,” he breathed against her skin.

Once he had recovered from the initial sensation, he pulled away from her chest and looked up at her face. The blue lighting created a greater contrast in her features, and the light dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose was enhanced as a result. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her, all the way down to the spot of grease on her forehead that she had earned during her workday. The fact that this incredible woman was currently seated in his lap, touching him, making love to him,  _loving_  him was almost too much for him to handle. He reached up to gently caress the side of her face, unable to hold back the rush of emotion he was experiencing.

“You are so beautiful,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I’m really here doing this with you right now.”

“Not how you expected to spend your afternoon, is it?” Tamora smirked.

“Not at all,” Felix smiled. 

He leaned up to kiss her again and she took him by surprise by lowering herself onto his erection, pushing its length deep inside her. Completely overtaken by pleasure, he moaned into her mouth and gripped her hips as she began riding him. He released her lips with a gasp as she dug her nails into his shoulders.

“Oh my  _land_ , Tamora,” he groaned, pressing his forehead into the dip of her shoulder.

“Does that feel good?” she asked, the sultry tone of her voice causing Felix to shiver.

“Oh, yes,” he panted.

“Do you want more?”

“You know I do.”

Although it never came without a warning, Felix was never quite prepared for the rush of satisfaction that always accompanied Tamora’s scratches. The first time, it had been an honest accident–after being hit with an especially delightful climax, she had scraped her nails across his back. She had apologized profusely for hurting him until Felix looked her in the eye and told her to do it again. Ever since that night, it had become an unspoken tool in her repertoire; he was always too embarrassed to talk about it once the moment was over, but she knew it would send him reeling.

As her nails scratched across the canvas of his back, she got just the reaction she was hoping for. He grunted as he attempted to keep his noises contained, but she distinctly heard the low, guttural sound that escaped his throat as he neared the pinnacle of pleasure. It was difficult to tell for certain, but she thought she heard the occasional whisper of her name as he pressed light kisses to whatever he could reach: her neck, her chest, her jaw. She began grinding at an unforgiving pace, and he met each of her thrusts with one of his own.

Despite his desire to keep his arousal in check until Tamora was fully satisfied, Felix could feel himself nearing the edge, and fast. He moved one of his hands from her waist, instead placing it between her legs so that his fingers could stimulate the sensitive bundle of nerves that lie there. She moaned in response, and he began rubbing her more purposefully, intent on giving her the euphoria she deserved. 

Before he could even try to stop it, his body seized up with pleasure as he spilled inside her. She wasn’t far behind, her body writhing in ecstasy just a moment later. By the time they had ridden out the satiation, they were panting for breath, and they took a moment to rest together and relax their tired muscles. Felix had his arms wrapped loosely around her waist while Tamora’s forehead rested against his. Once his breathing had evened out, he looked up at her and smiled.

“If I ever try to say no to doing something like this again, please remind me how amazing that was,” he said.

“I knew you’d come around,” she teased.

They leaned in and shared a few lazy kisses, unwilling to move from the cloud of bliss they had created in the backseat. Felix especially loved these moments, when he and Tamora got to simply enjoy being together in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Even in an unfamiliar environment like this, there was nothing more perfect.

“So are you willing to admit that I was right about this?” Tamora asked with a smirk.

“Mmhmm,” he smiled. “You always are.”

He kissed her again, letting the languid affection linger before pulling away.

“If you ever get any other interesting cars in the shop that you wanna take for a ride, you just let me know.”


	10. Don't Throw It Away

_Don’t throw it away this time, just take a little time to think_  
_Don’t throw it away, it’s fine, just don’t forget to think of me_  
 _Don’t throw it away, your mind is messin’ with your head again_  
 _Instead of walkin’ away we should give it a break ‘til we know what to say_  
 _Don’t throw it away_

* * *

 

“So, things seem to be going pretty well between you and Calhoun,” Ralph said as he and Felix made their way down the hall of the apartment building.

“They sure are, brother,” Felix replied with a dreamy sigh. “I’m crazy about her.”

“I can see that,” Ralph chuckled. “You’ve always been a bit of a hopeless romantic, but I gotta say, I’ve never seen you quite like this.”

Felix smiled as he opened the door to his apartment and led Ralph inside.

“Well, I’ve never felt quite like this before,” he said. “I’ve never felt so certain that I’m supposed to be with someone. I’m in love with her, and deep down, I just  _know_  it’s right.”

“Hey, you don’t need to convince me,” Ralph responded, taking a seat at the kitchen table. Felix sat down next to him. “One look at you two and I can practically see hearts floating around your heads. You guys are like velcro.”

On the other side of the apartment, Tamora emerged from Felix’s bedroom with a glass of water in hand. Lately, she had been spending the night with him more often than not, to the point where he wasn’t surprised to find her there when he came home from work. Today, however, he was too preoccupied by his conversation with Ralph to notice her presence.

“You really think so?” Felix asked. “I know we’ve only been together for a few months, but if I’m bein’ honest with myself, I want to marry her someday.”

The sound of glass breaking startled the men out of their conversation, and they turned to find Tamora standing in the living room. Felix recognized the stunned expression on her face and knew without a doubt that she had overheard their conversation. Her hand was still outstretched, her fingers still curved as though she were grasping a cup, although her hand was empty. She appeared oblivious to the fact that she had dropped the glass, leaving her surrounded by small shards on the floor.

“Tammy,” Felix said, scrambling to his feet. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”

He hurried over to her, and Ralph took that as his cue to leave, giving an awkward wave before exiting the apartment. Felix slowed as he approached her, his arms outstretched. He could hear the glass crunching beneath his boots as he drew near to her, but the mess was the least of his concern. Tamora’s expression had yet to change, and he worried that she wasn’t even aware of what she had done.

“Tamora,” he said, reaching for her hands. "Are you alright?”

She gasped, his touch pulling her back to the present. Panting for breath, she took in her surroundings and slowly pieced together the events of the last couple of minutes. In that moment it all became too much for her, and she opened her mouth to speak.

“I—” She stopped abruptly as she began to lose control over her breathing, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession.

“I know this is a lot for you right now,” Felix interrupted, trying his best to keep his voice calm. “Please let me explain.”

“Did… Did you mean that?” she asked, finally managing to get a few words out. Felix hesitated before answering.

“Yes.”

“Felix, I can’t do this right now—”

“Wait, Tammy, please hear me out,” he said.

“I can’t marry you,” she said. “I’m not ready for that.”

“Neither am I,” Felix said. Tamora furrowed her brow in confusion. “I did mean it when I told Ralph that I want to marry you. But that doesn’t mean I’m proposing tomorrow.”

Tamora took a step back and Felix carefully guided her to the couch, helping her to avoid the broken glass that littered the floor. They sat down together, and he took a moment to collect his thoughts.

“Tammy, I love you. I love you so much that I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I can’t even picture a future for myself that doesn’t include you,” he said. “I know you don’t have the warmest feelings about marriage, but I think you deserve a chance to try again. A chance to be happy.”

He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“I want to marry you. But I want to do it right, I want to be the kind of husband you deserve,” he said. “I don’t think I’m quite there yet, but eventually, I want to take that step with you.”

“How long have you been thinking about this?” she asked.

“A couple weeks,” he answered.

“When did you plan on proposing?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I don’t have anything planned yet, I don’t even have a ring. I didn’t plan on bringing it up for at least a few weeks.”

“If you’re not ready yet, then how do you even know that’s what you want?” she asked.

“Because there’s nothing that excites me more than the thought of sharing a life with you,” he answered without hesitation. “That’s what I daydream about on slow days at work, or when I’m going to sleep at night.”

“That’s the problem, it’s all fantasy,” she said. “You have this perfect vision built up in your head, and I can’t give that to you.”

“I don’t want perfect,” he said, clasping her hand between his. “I just want you.”

“Felix, I don’t know if I’ll ever feel ready to get married,” she said. “What if that day never comes?”

“We’ll get through it,” he said, though his voice was weak due to the lump that was beginning to form in his throat. “I’m a patient man, I’m willin’ to wait as long as it takes.”

Tamora looked into his eyes and saw his anguish shining through. This is what she had always feared—she knew from the start of their relationship that she would end up hurting him somehow, because that was all she knew how to do. The moment had arrived, and it was time for her to make a choice. She could be selfish right now; she knew exactly what to say to keep him in her life. But, in the end, she knew it would be better for both of them if she put a stop to this now.

“That’s not fair to you,” she said. “I can’t put you through that.”

Tamora withdrew her hand from his and Felix felt his heart rate increase in desperation as he looked into her eyes and realized what she was about to do.

“Tammy, please,” he stammered. “Don’t do this.”

“I don’t know what else to do,” she said, her voice tinted with sadness. “We don’t want the same thing. I think it’s best if we end things now, before the hurt gets any worse.”

“Please,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Don’t throw everything we have away, not yet.”

“Then what am I supposed to do, Felix?” she asked. He could see how pained she was by their conversation, and knew that, deep down, she didn’t want this any more than he did.

“Take some time to think it over,” he said, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm himself down. “You didn’t say you never want to get married, only that you don’t know yet if that’s something you want.”

Felix reached over and took her hand.

“I love you, Tamora, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he said. “If there’s even a tiny part of you that might want that, too, I’ll wait.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” she said. “The longer we put this off, the more it’s going to hurt.”

“Please,” he begged her. “If you sleep on it and decide that you still want to end things, I’ll accept that. But I just… I need…”

He trailed off as the tears he had been holding back finally betrayed him and began rolling down his cheeks. Tamora placed her hand alongside his face and thumbed away the tear streaks. Felix leaned into her touch and tried to pretend that this might not be the last time she comforted him like this.

“I need to know that you took the time to really think about it before you make a decision,” he finished. 

“Okay,” she said. “If you’re sure about this.”

“I’m sure,” he answered. “Take as much time as you need. I promise to give you some space until you’re ready to talk about it again.”

Tamora nodded and stood up from the couch. Felix walked her to the door, taking a moment of pause before showing her out. Taking her by surprise, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. Despite the precarious position in which they found their relationship, she gladly accepted and returned the comforting embrace.

“I love you. No matter what, I’ll always love you,” he murmured into her ear. “You know that, right?”

“I know,” she whispered back. “I love you, too.”

He held her just a bit tighter, finding it difficult to will his arms to release her. As much as he knew he needed to give her space, he couldn’t find it in himself to let go. Turning his head, he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before forcing himself away from her.

“I guess I should let you go now,” he said with a sniffle.

Tamora nodded, giving him a sad smile.

“But we’ll talk again soon, right?” he asked, more to convince himself than anything else. “No matter what you decide?”

“We will,” she answered. “I promise.”

And then, against his better judgment, he leaned up to kiss her. It was short and sweet and a terrible idea, he knew, but he couldn’t let her leave without kissing her one last time. As he pulled away, he knew he had just made this even more difficult for himself than it would have been before.

“I’m sorry. I’ll let you go now,” he said with a sad chuckle. “I mean it this time.”

“Bye, Felix,” she said softly as she turned and left.

He watched her go and felt his heart constrict as the door shut behind her. As he faced his empty apartment, he found himself feeling much like the shattered glass on the floor, broken and defeated.

“Goodbye, Tammy.”


	11. Reunion

Felix turned over in bed with a huff, another hour without sleep having passed him by. He hadn’t realized how accustomed he had gotten to sleeping with Tamora, and his bed now felt strange without her. It had been almost two weeks since the last time he had seen her and he had yet to get used to the vastness of the empty half of the mattress or the lack of comforting warmth and love that always used to wrap itself around him as he slept. 

His mind was constantly running with all the things he should have said to her before she left, things he could have done differently to make her stay. Deep down, however, he knew it wouldn’t have made a difference. The fact remained that they wanted different things out of life, and it would have come up at some point. It was probably for the best that it happened sooner rather than later, when he had really set his mind on marriage. The thought did little to comfort him.

More than once he had had to stop himself from pulling into the garage to see her on his way to the hardware store. He had drafted countless text messages telling her how much he loved her, but deleted them all before hitting “send.” He had even bared his soul in a love letter to her out of a desperate need to get his feelings out in the open. The letter sat on his kitchen table in an envelope with her name on it, ready to be delivered at any time, but he knew better than to give it to her. He had promised her space, and as difficult as it was for him to be without her, he intended to keep his word. As he shifted in yet another attempt to fall asleep, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander back to her.

A few blocks away, Tamora found herself in the same boat as Felix. Feeling even grouchier than usual due to a lack of sleep, she had become a bit of a recluse when she wasn’t at work. Felix had helped her come out of her shell, and without him, she felt exposed and vulnerable in public. Any time they had gone out together, she had been too focused on him to notice anything else that was happening around her. Now, she was hyper-focused on every stranger she passed, overanalyzing their actions, finding tidbits of proof that they must all be judging her for some reason or another. It was easier to just stay home, away from the overwhelming crowds.

Spending so much time alone meant that her mind was often occupied with thoughts of Felix. She wouldn’t dare admit it, but she missed him. She wanted more than anything to go back to his apartment and tell him that she wanted to marry him someday, but she still felt uncertain. It was unlikely that a second attempt at marriage would end as tragically as her first, but there was also the possibility that she would ruin this chance in a new way. She hated herself for the pain she had already caused him, and she would never forgive herself if she hurt him again. But if she was really being honest with herself, she couldn’t envision herself being happy in the future without him.

                                            

* * *

 

It was nearly three in the morning when Tamora opened the front door of Felix’s apartment complex and stepped inside. Immediately she felt a strange sense of relief wash over her as she passed through the familiar lobby and up the stairs. When she arrived at his door, the knob turned freely just as she knew it would; he was more trusting than anyone she had ever met, having no qualms with leaving his door unlocked even while he was asleep. She steeled herself before stepping inside–she still wasn’t sure what she wanted, and she didn’t know how he would react to that news.

She paused for a moment to set her motorcycle helmet on his kitchen table when something caught her eye. An envelope addressed to her sat on the wooden surface, and before she knew it, her curiosity had gotten the better of her and she opened it. Inside she found a single piece of paper, folded neatly with the writing facing inward to keep its contents hidden from prying eyes. Taking a deep breath, she unfolded the paper and held it up to the neon glow of the clock on the microwave to read it.

> _Tamora,_
> 
> _I miss you. I know I asked for this, but I’ve been miserable without you. I want you to know how much I love you. You must be tired of hearing it by now, but it’s true. I don’t think you even realize how much. There’s nothing in this world that I wouldn’t do for you, and that includes slamming my fingers in the hood of my truck. I’d do that a hundred times over if it meant I could spend my life with you. I meant it when I said I would wait for you–even if you want to wait until we’re old and grey to get married, you’ll still be the most beautiful bride this world has ever seen. I know this whole marriage thing has been overwhelming, but what I really hope you understand is that it’s not that I want to end up married. It’s that I want to end up married to you._
> 
> _Love, Felix_

A drop of water hit the page and she realized she was crying. She swiped at the tears on her cheek with her fingertips as she read and re-read the letter. He was so certain of his feelings, never doubting for a second that they belonged together. His bold declaration gave her a new sense of clarity, and she realized that they really  _did_  want the same thing: to be together. 

“Tammy?”

She looked up toward Felix’s bedroom and found him standing in the doorway, his expression cautious but hopeful.

“What’re you doing here?” he asked.

“I wanted to talk to you,” she answered. “I’m sorry it’s late. I couldn’t wait.”

“That’s alright, I haven’t been sleeping much lately anyhow,” he replied, looking away from her for a moment as a flash of guilt passed through her eyes. “What did you want to talk about?”

His voice felt weak as he posed the question to her; he was terrified of getting his hopes up, but he also longed for an answer. Tamora didn’t respond to him, instead crossing the room, throwing her arms around his shoulders, and pulling him close. Felix exhaled a shuddering sigh of relief as he latched onto her, pressing his face into the curve of her neck. 

“I missed you  _so much_ ,” he breathed, unable to stop the handful of tears that slipped down his cheeks.

“I missed you, too,” she responded. “I’m sorry it’s been so long.”

“Don’t apologize, you did what you needed to do,” he said. “I’m just so happy to see you.”

“Me, too.”

They stayed that way for a long moment, clinging to one another as though it was the only way to keep themselves from falling apart. Their arms tightened around each other as they fought to get as close together as possible, desperate for the comfort of being in each other’s arms. Every negative emotion they had experienced over the last couple of weeks melted away as they held each other, a reunion of hearts as well as bodies.

“I love you, Tammy,” he whispered.

“I love you too, Felix,” she replied. “And I’m sorry.”

“For what?” he asked, pulling back to look at her.

“For not realizing what I wanted sooner when it was so obvious,” she said. “Even on my way here tonight I didn’t have an answer for you. But then I found this.”

She held the note up between them.

“My letter,” he said.

“I shouldn’t have read this without asking you first,” she said. “I’ll add that to the list of things to apologize for.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he replied. “Everything in that letter was meant for you to read. You haven’t seen it until now because I was trying to give you your space. I didn’t want you to feel like I was pressuring you to decide, but I just had to get my feelings out somehow.”

“I understand,” she said. “This note actually helped me make my decision more than anything else.”

“Really?” he asked, the corner of his lip just barely beginning to quirk up into a smile.

“You really helped put things in perspective,” she nodded. “I’ve lost so much already that I was scared of getting too committed to you. I couldn’t even imagine myself happily married because that dream had already been taken from me.”

Felix nodded in understanding and reached up to tuck her bangs behind her ear.

“I tend to forget that there was once a time when marriage didn’t scare me,” she said. “I felt ready–excited, even–to take that step.”

“Yeah?” Felix asked quietly. He was terrified of getting his hopes up, but he thought he knew where this was going.

“It’s going to take some time, and it’s not going to be easy,” she began. Felix was practically buzzing with anticipation. “But I think, someday, I could be ready to try again.”

He froze for a moment as he allowed his brain to work through the message it had just received. It couldn’t be real, it  _had_  to be a dream. There was no way that Tamora had walked back into his life and opened herself up to the idea of marriage.

“Really?” he managed to get out. “You… You mean it?”

“It’s like you said in your letter, it’s not just about being married. It’s about being married to you,” she explained. “The thought of trying again is scary, I’ll admit. But trying again with  _you_ …it doesn’t sound so bad.”

“Tammy, I…”

He trailed off as words failed him; there was nothing he could say right now that would truly express the elation he felt. Tears sprang to his eyes as he pulled her close and planted his lips on hers for the first time in nearly two weeks. The feel of her lips was maddening, and the thought that he would never be without it again sent a thrill down his spine. Tamora held his face in her hands and tilted her head, suddenly desperate for as much closeness as possible. It was electric, their connection; they had finally broken down the barriers around their hearts and now all the love they had been holding inside flowed freely, submerging them in an ocean of passion. 

Once the need for air finally won out over their fervor, they separated, their faces showing nothing but smiles. Their foreheads rested together as they caught their breath and an occasional giggle passed between them. 

“I love you,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I love you, too,” she replied.

“And I promise I’ll take things slow,” he said. “I think we’ve both got some work to do before we’re ready for that next big step. I’ve got a ways to go before I’ll be the kind of husband you deserve.”

“You’re closer than you think,” she replied with a smile. 

He kissed her again, slow and tender. 

“Do you have to go to work tomorrow?” he asked.

“Nope, I’ve got the weekend off,” she answered.

“Good,” he smiled, “that means we can worry about sleep later.”

“You don’t want to go to sleep now?” she asked.

“No,” he answered.

He leaned up to kiss her yet again, his lips drawn to hers like a magnet.

“I’ve got about two weeks’ worth of kisses to make up for.”


	12. Stars

“I want to show you something.”

They had just finished cleaning up after dinner when Felix looked over at Tamora and made the declaration. She followed him, thinking he wanted to show her something in another room of the apartment, but he led her outside to his truck and started driving. No matter how many times she asked, he wouldn’t reveal the secret to her, smiling to himself each time she tried to phrase the question in a new way that might trip him up. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of her palm as he assured her that she had nothing to worry about. All would be revealed soon enough. 

The truck finally came to a stop in the middle of an open field. Tamora had never been here before, and she glanced at him in confusion as she looked out the windshield and saw absolutely nothing of interest. Felix didn’t respond as he hopped out the driver’s side door and rounded the truck to open her door.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said as he reached for her hand and helped her down. 

He walked her to the back of the car, smiling at her in anticipation before pulling off the bed cover. Underneath the cover, the bed of his truck had been transformed into something of an  _actual_  bed, with an assortment of blankets and pillows filling the space. 

“What is this?” she asked, smiling through her disbelief. 

“Come on,” he replied, “I’ll show you.”

He helped her up and followed behind her. They settled back against the pillows and Felix pulled one of the big, fluffy blankets over them.

“Is this what you wanted to show me?” she asked.

“Not quite,” he answered. “Look up.”

She focused her attention on the sky and gasped at the multitude of stars that covered the night sky. They weren’t normally this visible with the light pollution in town, but out here, the view was incredible. Felix beamed with pride as she took it all in. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before pointing out some of the constellations they could see from the truck. They fell into a companionable silence after a while, content to cuddle close together and enjoy the moment.

“This is amazing, Felix,” Tamora said, breaking the silence. “You didn’t have to do all this for me.”

“It was nothin’ really, Tammy,” he replied. “I just wanted to do something special for you.”

“I don’t think anyone’s ever given me so many special moments like this before,” she said.

“Well, it’s what you deserve,” he said. “I’d be a fool to give you anything less.”

“That’s very sweet of you,” she responded, “but, really, don’t feel like you have to do things like this all the time.”

“Of course I do,” he said. “Look, Tammy, I’m no dummy. I know that fellas like me don’t usually end up with gals like you. I don’t know how I got so lucky to be with you, but whenever I earn a moment of your time, I want to make it worth your while.”

“It’s worth it, Felix,” she said. “It always is.”

Felix smiled, and it was quiet between them for a moment before Tamora spoke again.

“What did you mean by that?” she asked. “That men like you don’t end up with women like me?”

“Well, I mean, just look at you. You’re stunningly beautiful–-the first time I saw your face, I completely lost my train of thought because I was so dazed,” he explained. “You’re tall and strong and confident and I’m several inches shorter than you and a nervous wreck.”

“You’re also honest and patient and the most thoughtful, considerate person I’ve ever met,” she countered. “And I’m also standoffish, grumpy, and downright rude at times.”

“Tammy Jean,” he gently scolded her.

“All I’m saying is neither of us is perfect,” she said. 

“I know that,” he replied, rolling onto his side to face her. “It’s just that, when I first met you, I saw this gorgeous woman who was way out of my league and I thought I was delusional for wanting to ask you out. I thought there was no way you would ever say yes.”

“But I did,” she said with a small smile as she shifted to face him.

“You did, and I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “And even now, after all this time, I still haven’t gotten over it. I get to take you on dates and kiss you and cook for you. It’s more than I ever thought I would get. I thank my lucky stars that my car broke down that night and brought you into my life.”

Felix was taken by surprise as Tamora reeled him in for a kiss. He wasted no time brushing his fingers into her hair and stroking her cheek with his thumb. No matter how many times she kissed him like this, it would always make his heart race. She pulled away and they took a moment to catch their breath.

“You know,” Tamora said between breaths, “I’m pretty lucky, too.”

“Well, not to brag,” he said, “but I’m currently cuddled up looking at the stars with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and she just gave me one doozy of a kiss, so I think I might be a little luckier than you.”

“Oh yeah?” she smirked. “Because I’m under a blanket with this cute guy who plans romantic gestures like this for me on a regular basis. I think I might be the winner here.”

“We’ll just see about that,” he teased.

He kissed her again, and before long they found themselves completely lost in the affection. Their connection was so powerful it was almost palpable, and neither could find it in themselves to pull away. The kiss only seemed to deepen as time passed and a noticeable heat crept in. Just as Felix’s hand found its way to her lower back and Tamora’s fingers began to tug on the buttons of his shirt, the sound of footsteps tore them apart. Felix sat up to look for their intruder and found a police officer walking toward the truck. As he got closer, Felix recognized him.

“Officer Duncan,” Felix said as he approached. “How are you tonight, sir?”

“Well, if it isn’t Mister Fix-It himself,” the officer chuckled. “Boy, is it a relief to see you out here. I thought I was gonna find a couple’a crazy kids doin’ the horizontal tango, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh no, nothing like that,” Felix replied, his face flushing a deep red. He flinched as Tamora squeezed his thigh under the blanket, a mischievous smile on her face. “I just brought my lady out here to look at the stars.”

Tamora sat up next to him. 

“This is Tamora,” he said before turning his attention back to her. “Officer Duncan’s an old friend of mine. I’ve done a lot of repairs at the precinct over the years.”

“Thanks to Felix, we’ve been able to push off buying a new radiator for six years,” said Duncan. “Every time I think that old thing’s finally ready to crap out, he works another miracle.”

“Just doin’ my job,” Felix said.

“Well, anyway, I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it. Nice to meet you, miss,” Duncan said, taking a step back from the truck. “Happy stargazing.”

“Goodnight, officer,” Felix called out as he walked away.

He glanced at Tamora, who started laughing at the embarrassment that was evident on his face.

“That could’a been a close call,” he said. “We got a little carried away for a minute there.”

“Oh, relax,” she teased. “Everything is fine.”

“I guess you’re right,” he said, reaching for her hand. 

“He did ruin my plan, though,” she said.

“What plan?”

“Since we were arguing over who’s the luckiest, I figured the only way to even the score was for us both to get lucky out here,” she said, unable to hold in a chuckle at the immediate effect her words had on him. His face was blank for a moment until his mind was able to process her suggestion, at which point his skin seemed to glow a bright, vivid red.

“So, you want–I… I  _never_ ,” he stuttered. Tamora had apparently short-circuited his brain, leaving him unable to form one coherent sentence. “I… Out  _here_?!”

“Are you alright?” she asked with an amused smile. She leaned in and kissed his cheek, which was hot against her lips. 

He nodded slowly.

“I just… I’ve heard about that sort of thing before but no one’s ever…  _I’ve_  never…” he trailed off, unable to finish his statement without shrinking down into a little ball of embarrassment.

“I wouldn’t have said anything if I knew it would freak you out like this,” she said.

“I’m not freaked out, it’s just a little shocking, is all,” he replied. Although his cheeks were still flushed, he had calmed down from his initial shock, and he took a moment to ponder her proposal. “You, um… You wouldn’t be interested in coming back to my apartment for the night, would you? Maybe we can reach some sort of compromise to your plan.”

Tamora was taken aback by his forwardness; the physical aspect of their relationship was still somewhat new, and thus far Felix had been very shy when it came time for him to speak on his desire. He had fumbled a bit on the delivery, but the message was loud and clear, and she had no qualms with his suggestion.

“I think we can definitely come to an agreement.”


	13. Proof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Felix and Tamora get to know each other more intimately, they take a moment to reflect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of what I wanted to accomplish with the mechanic au is a clear pattern of growth for Felix when it comes to sex. We know he’s shy at first and eventually opens up, but I wanted to dig in and explore the steps that allow that to occur. Here, the physical aspect of their relationship is still relatively new; it’s been a few weeks since their first time.

The air in the bedroom was warm and humid as a result of the physical exertion that had just taken place there. The only sound was heavy breathing and the occasional contented sigh as they each came down from their respective high. Felix settled on his back and Tamora rolled onto her side facing him, her arm draped over his middle. He pressed a few kisses to the top of her head as he wrapped his arm over her shoulders. 

“Oh, Tammy,” he sighed. “That was…”

“Yeah, it was,” she smiled. “I didn’t know you were into that kind of thing.”

“Neither did I,” he admitted. “But you started sayin’ those dirty things to me and tellin’ me what to do and it was shocking, but I… I really liked it.”

“Oh, you don’t have to tell me,” she teased. “I think it was clear how much you liked it.”

“Can you blame me?” he chuckled, rolling onto his side to face her. “Being authoritative comes so naturally to you and you look  _really_  good doing it.”

“Well, you look pretty good following orders, too,” she countered.

Felix smiled and leaned in to kiss her.

“If you like it that much, you can boss me around every night,” he murmured against her lips.

“Don’t tempt me,” she replied.

Their lips found each other again, and Felix let his hand roam her soft skin. He cherished these moments, the lazy rush of affection he always experienced after they made love. Once the door for physical intimacy was opened, he always had a difficult time closing it. Tamora pulled away from the kiss, and he nuzzled his nose against hers.

“You know, I’ve never done anything like that before,” he said. “But there’s something about you that makes me want to do somethin’ crazy.”

“A little light submission isn’t that crazy, you know,” she remarked. “But something tells me your experiences leading up to this haven’t been all that adventurous.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I don’t have much experience to speak of in the first place, and what I do have has been fairly, um…”

“Boring?” she deadpanned.

“I was going to say  _limited_ ,” he replied. “I’ve never had a woman take control in the bedroom the way you do, but, jiminy, do I like it.”

“Turning out to be more of a freak than you thought, huh?” she teased.

“Only with you,” he replied.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“When I really think about it, I realize that there’s lots of things that we’ve done together that I never liked before I tried them with you,” he said, trying his best to make sense of his thoughts.

“I’m not sure I follow,” she said.

“Take this, for example,” he said, pointing to the hickey on his neck. “I never liked it when someone tried to give me a love bite before. I was too embarrassed to walk around all day with a mark like that that people could see.”

“Why didn’t you say something? I would’ve stopped doing it,” she replied.

“That’s just my point, I like it when  _you_  do it,” he explained. “The first time you gave me a hickey, I thought about stopping you, but then I realized that I really liked how it felt. And the thought of having your mark on my skin was… _exciting._ ”

“Is that so?” 

“I realized that I was in bed with the most beautiful, desirable,  _perfect_  woman in the world,” he said, his gaze full to the brim with adoration, “and if she wanted to leave behind proof, I’d be a fool to stop her.”

“Now you’re just being cheesy,” she said.

“I mean it,” he replied. “I don’t know if you know this about me, but I’m kind of crazy about you.”

Tamora gave a playful roll of her eyes before pulling Felix into a kiss. He looked at her with a satisfied smile on his face as she pulled away.

“I think you made it pretty clear,” she smiled.

“Good. I know I tend to hold back from showin’ you how much I want you,” he said. “Being with you, everything somehow feels brand new. Like it’s the first time I’ve ever done this. I’m scared of doing the wrong thing and turning you off.”

“Felix, nothing turns me on more than knowing you want it just as much as I do,” she said. 

“Oh, and I do,” he said. “Sometimes it’s all I can think about, how much I want you.”

“Why don’t you say so more often?” she asked. “I can tell that you’re holding back how much you want it. You’ve got a lot of enthusiasm in bed and it seems like you’re always willing, but you’re waiting for me to make the first move. You know you can make a move too, right?”

“I know, I just…” he trailed off as his cheeks flushed. “I’m always nervous that I’ll come on too strong when you’re not in the mood.”

“You know the chances of us having sex drop down to zero when you don’t say anything, right?” she teased. Her tone softened as she continued. “If you want me, just tell me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, his eyes shining with reverence.

He kissed her again, and this time they let it linger. His hand started in her hair, but he soon found himself unable to keep still. She felt his palm glide down her back, caressing her waist on its way to her hip, where it finally came to rest.

“Would now be a good time to start?” he muttered against her mouth.

“Start what?”

“Tellin’ you when I want you.”

His hand shifted slightly, his fingers stretching out to give her backside a gentle squeeze. Tamora bit her lip, unable to hide the satisfied grin she now wore.

“Somebody’s a fast learner.”

“I know you don’t like to waste time,” he said as she pulled him on top of her. “You’re a woman of action.”

“That’s right. And speaking of action,” she said as his lips trailed down her neck, “can I make a request?”

“Anything,” he breathed against her skin.

“Leave a mark,” she said. Felix picked his head up to look at her.

“Are you sure?” he asked. She nodded in response, and his mouth returned to her neck.

“I’m pretty crazy about the man in bed with me right now,” she said, and his kisses became more enthusiastic as she spoke.

Tamora felt his teeth brush against her skin, tentatively at first, and then with more purpose. She offered a breathy moan as he sucked gently on her flesh.

“And I want him to leave behind some proof.”


	14. Matchmaker

“Hi, Tamora.”

“Felix,” she replied, stranding up straight from her previously slouched position as she worked. She gave him a coy smile. “What brings you here today?”

“I believe I have something that belongs to you,” he grinned back, pulling her dog tags from his pocket. “It looks like I forgot to give these back to you last night.”

“It would appear that way, yes,” she played along. 

She walked over to meet him as he made his way to her work station. He held out the dog tags and she took them from him, stuffing them into her own pocket. Mustering a bit of bravery, he reached for her free hand and laced their fingers together.

“I guess now I don’t have any excuses to come see you again,” he said.

“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” she replied.

“I could mess up my truck somehow,” he suggested playfully. “If I do it right, you’ll be stuck with me for days.”

“Or you could just tell me the truth,” she smiled.

“You’re right,” he said, blushing as he continued. “I could tell you that I haven’t stopped thinking about you since our date last night. Or that I came by today hoping I might get to kiss you again.”

He looked down at their interlocked fingers as he finished his thought, too bashful to look her in the eye as he admitted his desire. Tamora smiled, unable to hide how affected she was by his adorably shy nature.

“My face is up here, you know,” she teased. “It’ll be pretty hard for you to kiss me if you keep looking down like that.”

Felix’s eyes snapped up to meet hers and his blush intensified.

“Much better,” she grinned.

Straightening his posture, he leaned in toward her, giving himself over to the intoxicating rush of emotion. The light scrape of her fingernails against the nape of his neck, her warm breath on his face, her soft lips barely a fraction of an inch from his–

“Hello? Earth to Felix?”

Felix jolted into alertness, taking in his surroundings. He was seated at the front desk of the apartment building with his chin in his hand. In front of him, his best friend, Ralph, waved his large hand in front of Felix’s face. He felt his cheeks heat up as he realized he had just had his daydream interrupted when he should have been focused on work. Gene, the building’s manager, had left Felix and Ralph to man the desk while he was out running errands, and with so little to do, his mind couldn’t help but wander.

“I’m sorry, brother,” he said. “I guess I got a little distracted for a minute there.”

“I’ll say. I’d recognize that face anywhere,” Ralph chuckled. “I take it your date went well?”

“It was wonderful, Ralph,” Felix sighed.

“See? I told you it wouldn’t be so bad once you put yourself out there,” Ralph said. He clapped his hand against Felix’s back, causing him to lurch forward. “I had a feeling you and Pauline would hit it off.”

“Actually, I’ve got some things to catch you up on,” Felix said, suddenly remembering that he hadn’t seen Ralph in several days. “…Starting with the fact that I never made it to my date with Pauline.”

“What?” Ralph asked. “Why?”

“My car broke down on the way to the restaurant,” Felix explained. “I wound up spending my evening at the car garage instead.”

“Okay,” Ralph said, confusion still evident on his face. “So you didn’t go out with Pauline.”

“Right.”

“But you did have a date since the last time I saw you.”

“Yes.”

“With who?” Ralph asked incredulously. “Pauline’s gotta be the only woman in this building under age forty.”

“She doesn’t live in the building,” Felix answered. “You don’t know her.”

“So let me get this straight,” Ralph said. “Within the last five days, you met a complete stranger, went on a date with her, and are now head-over-heels for her, if that look on your face is any indication.”

“That’s right, Ralph,” Felix said with a happy sigh. The honeyglow in his cheeks seemed almost permanent at this point, his cheeks stained pink.

“I’m gonna need some more information here,” Ralph said.

“Well, remember how I told you my car broke down?” he asked. Ralph nodded. “The woman I’ve been seeing is the mechanic who fixed it.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I assure you, I’m not,” Felix said. “When we got inside the garage and I saw her face, I couldn’t believe how beautiful she was. And so strong, too–she pushed my car inside all by herself.”

“Whoa,” Ralph replied, struggling to piece together an image of this mystery woman based on Felix’s description. “She definitely sounds interesting.”

“Oh, she is,” Felix said. “You know, she taught me how to replace my fuel pump and we fixed it together.”

“Alright, now I think you might be making her up,” Ralph joked. “After what you did to my alternator, I don’t think it’s possible that she whipped you into shape that fast.”

“Ralph, I’ve apologized for that more times than I can count.”

“I’m just messin’ with ya,” Ralph laughed, nudging Felix on the shoulder. “She sounds pretty great, and you obviously like her a lot. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks, brother,” Felix said with a smile.

“So, when are you guys going out again?”

“We’ve got another date planned on Thursday,” Felix said, unable to shake the giddy feeling that rose in his chest at the word ‘date.’ “But I think I might end up seeing her tonight, because my screwdriver fell out of my tool belt while I went by the garage to see her during lunch.”

“So that’s where you ran off to,” Ralph said with a knowing smile.

“Well, she left her dog tags in my truck so I stopped by to return them,” he said with a shrug in an attempt to appear nonchalant.

“Right,” Ralph said. “And none of this has anything to do with how much you want to see her again, of course.”

“Well…” Felix trailed off, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe a little.”

“That’s what I thought,” Ralph chuckled. “Well, it’s not exactly how I thought it would go, but I’m glad to see you getting back in the game, buddy. It’s been too long since I’ve seen that look on your face.”

“You know, I really oughta thank you,” Felix mused.

“What for?”

“Well, I wouldn’t have met Tamora if you hadn’t set me up with Pauline,” he explained. “So if you think about it, we met because of you.”

“See? You had your doubts, but I told you I was cut out to be a matchmaker,” Ralph teased.

“Right, because it went so well when you tried to set Gene up with Mary,” Felix remarked.

“Hey, that was a fluke,” Ralph rebutted. “It’s not my fault Gene is so unpleasant to be around.”

“I wouldn’t say  _unpleasant_ , per se,” Felix replied. “He’s just…very set in his ways.”

“I don’t care how you phrase it, you know I’m right,” Ralph said. “I’m an amazing matchmaker and Gene’s a real pain in the–”

“Gentlemen,” a voice sounded from behind them. They turned to see Gene standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. “I trust everything ran smoothly while I was gone?”

“Yes, sir,” Felix answered. Ralph nodded in agreement.

The small, mustachioed man narrowed his eyes at them for a moment before addressing them again. 

“Well then, enough lounging around up here,” he said. “Get back to work.”

Felix and Ralph hurried out from behind the desk, heading off down the hall together. Once Gene was out of earshot, Felix spoke.

“You know something, Ralph?” he asked.

“What?”

“I just might be inclined to agree with you.”


	15. First

It was getting late as Felix finished fixing the leaky pipe under Tamora’s kitchen sink. He had been invited inside for drinks after their date, but had quickly become preoccupied with the steady drip of the faucet. Tamora insisted that he didn’t need to fix it for her, as she had put in a maintenance request a week ago, but Felix would have none of it. One week was far too long to wait for such a simple repair, and he had everything he needed in his truck. This left Tamora no choice but to sit and watch as he got to work.

“Almost got it…” she heard the muffled sound of his voice from under the sink. “There! All done!”

He quickly got to his feet, clapping his hands together victoriously. Tamora smiled at him from her spot on the counter where she had taken up residence.

“My lady, would you be so kind as to give it a try for me?” he asked.

She reached over and turned on the water. After a few seconds, she turned it back off, and they watched for signs that the leak was still present. Once it was apparent that the leak was indeed fixed, Felix grinned at her.

“Nicely done, Felix,” she said. “Now, how can I repay you?”

“I don’t want your money,” Felix said, reaching for her hands as he saw her going for her wallet. “Really, I’m happy to do it for you. It’s nice to feel useful.”

“This is what you do for a living,” she said. “I can’t just take advantage of it for free.”

“Sure, you can,” he replied. “I want you to. And if I recall correctly, you didn’t charge me for that oil change last week, so if you really want to split hairs, I’d say we’re even now.”

“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to repay you?” she asked.

A lightbulb seemed to go off over his head, and his expression was almost mischievous as he answered her.

“Alright, there is  _one_  thing I want,” he said.

“What is it?” she asked.

“A kiss.”

Tamora couldn’t help but to roll her eyes at his answer and the dreamy look in his eyes as he smiled up at her.

“Are you serious?” she chuckled.

“That’s all I want,” he nodded.

“Alright, come here,” she said with a smirk, pulling him close.

She released his hands and he laid his palms flat on the counter as he leaned up and pressed his lips to hers. 

“I’ve got a question,” she asked as he pulled away. “Do you think I could build up some credit to put toward any future repairs?”

The coy smile that accompanied her request was stirring up feelings he hadn’t experienced in quite some time. He let out a shaky breath and nodded.

“Absolutely.”

Her lips found his once more and he leaned into her as she gently pulled him closer by the shoulders. She spread her legs enough that he could stand between them, his lower half pressed against the cabinets. Their connection deepened with each second that passed, and Felix found himself almost wholly consumed by his longing for her. His hands crept up from the countertop to grip her waist as one of her hands found its way into his hair. 

Before long, he felt himself slipping into a state of pure intoxication; her lips were soft, her tongue was sweet, and if this was all a dream, he didn’t want to wake up anytime soon. Tamora crossed her legs behind his back, forcing him even closer, and his small noise of surprise was muffled into her mouth. He couldn’t recall when it had happened, but one of his hands was on her thigh, and his fingers dug into the denim of her jeans as she used her powerful calves to pull him flush against her.

Just when Felix thought his lungs might run out of oxygen, Tamora broke the kiss. He was gasping for air, his breathing labored, as he caught his breath. Now that their connection had been broken, the haze in his mind began to clear, and everything he had just done hit him all at once. He couldn’t remember ever allowing himself to be this forward before–his hand was dangerously close to the widest portion of her thigh, where her leg met her hip. Just a couple of inches north and he would be squeezing her rear end; his face heated up at the thought. What if she thought he was trying to cop a feel? Or that he was coming on too strong? All she had asked for was a kiss, and he had let himself get carried away. None of this was like him, and he felt his heart begin to race as panic set in.

“I should go,” he said, suddenly stepping away from her.

“What?” Tamora asked, surprised by the sudden change in his mood.

“It’s getting late, and I just remembered I haven’t fed Q-bert, and you know how the traffic can be,” he rambled as he struggled to straighten out his thoughts. “I should really let you get on with your evening.”

“Is everything okay?” she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

“Of course! Everything’s great, I just…” He backed up toward the door. “I really think it’s best if I leave now.”

“Felix, wait–”

The door slammed shut behind Felix as he hurried out of her apartment. As soon as he stepped out into the hallway, he doubled over, placing his hands on his knees as he fought to steady his breathing. His heart was pounding so wildly that he thought it might beat right out of his chest. Once he finally calmed down, a new wave of dread overcame him as he considered what Tamora must have been thinking of him. He stood up straight, looking back at her door. What would she say if he went back and apologized?

Pacing the floor in the hallway, Felix kicked himself for being so foolish. Everything had been going so well–five minutes ago he was wrapped up in the embrace of a beautiful woman who, by all accounts, seemed to want him, and he had rejected her advances. Rejected _her_. Not only that, but he had stormed out of her apartment with no explanation. She probably thought he didn’t want her, which couldn’t have been further from the truth. Really, his desire was the root of the problem. He didn’t know how to let it show without letting it take over his actions; he had never needed to learn, because he had never wanted someone as badly as he wanted her. 

Gaining a bit of resolve, he took a deep breath before approaching her door. He raised his fist to knock, but before his knuckles met the wooden surface, the door swung open before him. On the other side, Tamora was startled by his presence. She appeared to be in a hurry to leave, but Felix was blocking her way out.

“Sorry,” he said, stepping to the side. “Did you need to go?”

“No,” she answered. Felix furrowed his brow in confusion. “Well, yes. But I was leaving to come find you. And now you’re here.”

“Oh.”

An awkward air hung over them as they gathered their thoughts.

“Listen, I–”

“So what I wanted to say is–”

They stopped short once they realized they were talking over one another, each of them making a quiet apology. Felix found it difficult to look at Tamora as he fidgeted nervously. There was so much to be said, and there was no telling who would be brave enough to break the silence.

“Tammy, I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have left like that. I just got a little overwhelmed and–”

“I understand,” Tamora interrupted. “I came on too strong. I’m sorry.”

“What? No,” Felix said. “You’re so fearless about communicating what you want, and I really like that.”

“Then what happened?” she asked.

“I just…” he trailed off, struggling to make sense of the scramble of thoughts in his brain. “I really like you, Tamora. And the way you were kissing me before felt so good, I… I didn’t want to stop.”

“So why did you?”

“Whenever you kiss me, or give me those eyes, or run your fingers through my hair, it wakes up this part of me that I almost forgot was there,” he said, blushing intensely. “And I like how it feels, but it’s been so long since I felt this way that I don’t know what to do about it. I get too caught up in my own head and I start to worry that maybe you aren’t feeling the same things I am.”

“I wouldn’t have kissed you like that if I didn’t want to,” she said.

“I know that, but in the heat of the moment it just got to feelin’ like everything was happening all at once and I just… I panicked,” he explained. “I couldn’t stop worrying that I don’t look good enough, or that I’m too out of practice to satisfy you, or…or that maybe I’m reading too much into everything and you don’t want me as much as I think you do.”

His eyes dropped to the floor in shame.

“Felix, look at me,” she said. He obeyed, and she looked him straight in the eyes as she continued. “I want you. I’ve wanted you for a long time.”

“What?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I like that you can’t help but let your feelings show,” she said. “I know exactly what it does to you when I kiss you or run my fingers through your hair, because you couldn’t hide it if you tried.”

Her fingers brushed through his bangs as she spoke and a tingle ran up his spine.

“I know you’re scared to let that part of yourself show, but I like seeing it,” she said. “If you want to wait, I’ll wait. But whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here wanting you.”

“Tammy…” he shuddered.

“Now, tell me,” she said, placing her hands on his shoulders and stepping closer. “What do  _you_  want?”

“I… I don’t want to go,” he answered with a nervous gulp. “I want to stay here tonight.”

“Is that all?” she asked.

It was probably a little cruel of her to drag the conversation out like this, but if they were going to have sex, he needed to be able to talk about it. Felix hesitated for a moment before reaching out to cup her cheek in his hand.

“Tamora, I want you.”

That was all she needed to hear to pick up where they had left off earlier. She yanked him into a kiss and pulled him in out of the doorway, pinning him against the door as soon as it closed behind them. While he had been timid before, now his confidence was beginning to grow, and his free hand gripped her waist with only minor trepidation. The feelings he had previously shied away from crept back in, but this time he gave in to them. He leaned in to his desire, and in return, it switched on some long-forgotten instinct that guided his actions.

He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her close, and she wasted no time rubbing her knee against his groin. She smiled as he gasped against her lips, and it wasn’t long before an erection began to form beneath her touch.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for that,” she said, caressing the front of his jeans with the back of her finger.

“I’ve spent too long trying to hide it from you,” he replied.

Ducking his head slightly, he pressed a kiss to her neck, something he had never allowed himself to do before. Her skin was unbelievably soft, and there was something about her taste that made him hungry for more. His mouth descended the elegant column of her neck and made its way to her collarbone. Tamora raked her fingers through his hair as his tongue met a particularly sensitive spot, and he shivered in response.

 Her shirt blocked his path down her chest, and he paused to pull it up over her head. Before he could attempt to unhook her bra, he found her hands already there, working to undo the clasp. Their eyes met as she discarded the garment, and the lust behind her gaze sent a pang of want straight to his core. He gave in to his inclination to look down at her newly exposed breasts, and he was overwhelmed by a new wave of burning desire. An amused smile played at Tamora’s lips.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re just–You look…” He shook his head, unable to form a coherent thought. “You are so perfect.”

“I thought you knew by now that I don’t respond to flattery,” she teased.

“I thought we agreed that it doesn’t count as flattery if it’s the truth,” he countered, taking her by surprise.

His lips returned to her chest, continuing their journey down to her breasts. She hummed as he kissed along the swell of one breast, biting her lip as his tongue found its way to her nipple. He took the small bud into his mouth, sucking gently, as his hand fondled the opposite mound of flesh. She reached down and began untucking his shirt, experiencing a sudden, frantic need to move things forward. Felix took the hint, undoing the top few buttons on his shirt and pulling away from her chest to pull it off over his head.

Tamora backed away, beckoning him to follow her into her bedroom. He trailed behind her like a man in a trance, the swinging pendulum of her hips placing him under her spell. Once he was within arm’s reach, she pulled him down onto the bed, and he looked up at her with a love drunk grin as she climbed on top of him. He ran his hands up and down her back as she kissed him, indulging in her soft skin. It seemed impossible that every inch of her could be so velvety smooth, but so far it appeared to be true. What conditions had allowed this to happen, he didn’t know; what he  _did_  know was that he could easily spend the rest of the night simply touching her. 

But that could wait. Tamora wasn’t looking to waste anymore time as she unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly. He followed her lead, kicking his shoes off onto the floor while she worked on her own jeans. They took a moment to shimmy out of their pants until they were each left in their respective undergarments. Tamora grinned at the sight of the tent in Felix’s boxers, his arousal unmistakable.

Felix took Tamora by surprise by finally allowing his hands to wander past her hips, gripping her backside. Satisfied with this course of action, she decided to reward him by pulling his erection free from his boxers. His eyes snapped open and he gasped as she wrapped her hand around him, and he seemed to melt into the mattress as she started pumping.

“Ohhh, Tammy,” he muttered under his breath.

“You like that?” she asked with a smile.

“Yes,” he breathed.

He kissed her again, and his right hand ventured to the front of her underwear. Slowly, tentatively, he slid his fingers beneath the elastic waistband, past the soft mound of curly hair, down to the crest of her folds. As he began his careful exploration, he was shocked to find an already welcoming, wet heat there.

“ _Oh._ ” The word slipped out on a moan of want.

“I told you I was ready,” she said.

His hand came back to life, slipping further down into her slick folds. She sighed as he pushed a finger inside her, slowly moving it in and out before adding another. Her hands remained busy, too, stroking his hardening length. His size was more impressive than she had expected, and her body quivered with desire as she handled him. She had waited a long time for this, and the moment was finally here. Without warning or explanation, she released her hold on him and pulled his boxers down. He withdrew his hand from her and yanked them off as she slipped out of her own underwear.

“Do you still want to do this?” Tamora asked.

“Oh, yes,” Felix answered.

Then, she finally put an end to their waiting and lowered herself onto his erection, sheathing him inside her. All the anticipation that had been building up for weeks was over, and it was an overwhelming sensation. Felix closed his eyes as she began rocking her hips against his, giving himself over to the feeling of pure satisfaction. Every one of his senses was overloaded with stimuli, making it impossible for him to focus on just one aspect of his pleasure. 

His hand returned to the crux of her legs as his fingers sought out the bundle of nerves that he hoped would match her enjoyment to his. She had spent long enough waiting for him to get his head on straight, he wasn’t about to let her have a less-than-satisfactory experience. Tamora moaned and arched her back, consequently pushing her breasts into his face. Felix seized this opportunity, catching one of her nipples in his mouth and greedily sucking on the sensitive bud. 

Her hips began moving at an erratic pace as the feel of his hands and tongue on her body whipped her into a frenzy. This, in turn, sent Felix reeling. They continued to feed into one another’s pleasure, quickly pushing each other up that hill to the peak of satisfaction. Their upward climb felt more like a sprint to the finish line as they neared the edge–it was only a matter of who would reach it first.

Tamora pulled ahead of Felix at the last second, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as she rode out each wave of her sweet release. He wasn’t far behind, thrusting into her until, at last, he was spent. Their energy now depleted, they settled beside each other on the mattress as they caught their breath. Once they had come down from the rush, they each rolled onto their side to face one another, cuddling together and enjoying this moment of closeness. It was silent for a while as they savored the tender moment; their foreheads rested together, eyes closed, as Felix drew invisible shapes on Tamora’s back.

“I’m glad I came back tonight,” he said, breaking the silence.

“Me, too,” she replied.

“And I’m sorry you had to wait so long,” he said, his eyes flitting up to meet hers. “I wasted a lot of time getting so in my head about everything.”

“Don’t apologize,” she said. “It was worth the wait.”

“You think so?” he asked, relieved that he had made a positive impression. “I think so, too. I mean, you are just…incredible.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she said with a soft smile.

“I guess I spent all that time worrying for nothing, huh?” he joked.

“I’ll say,” she teased in return. “Maybe now you’ll learn to take the hint when I want to have sex with you.”

“You’ve got that right,” he replied.

He moved his hand from her back to the side of her face, running his thumb along her cheekbone.

“I’ll never make that mistake again.”


	16. All I've Ever Known

 

Say that you’ll hold me forever                                                                                                                                 I’m gonna hold you forever  
Say that the wind won’t change on us                                                                                                            The wind won’t ever change on us  
Say that we’ll stay with each other                                                                                                                    ‘Long as we stay with each other  
And it will always be like this                                                                                                                                Then it will always be like this

* * *

 

“I’m home, Tammy Jean,” Felix said as he entered his apartment and shut the door behind him.

He walked into the bedroom, buzzing with excitement. Tonight was their one-year anniversary, and he couldn’t wait to take his lady out on a special date to celebrate the occasion. His face fell as he pushed the bedroom door open and saw her sitting on the bed, half-dressed and looking miserable.

“Sweet pea, what’s wrong?” he asked as he rushed to her side.

“Nothing,” she answered as she sat up straighter and tried to feign a good mood. “I’m almost finished getting ready, then we can go.”

“Tammy, please talk to me,” he said softly, kneeling in front of her. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she replied. “Let’s hurry up and get ready to go. I know how much you’ve been looking forward to this.”

“Don’t worry about me or our plans tonight,” he said, taking her hands in his. “If you’ve been having a bad day, let’s just stay in.”

“I don’t want to do that to you, Felix,” she said. “I know how long you’ve been planning this. You wanted to go all out for our anniversary.”

“You’re right, I do want to celebrate our anniversary tonight,” he said. “But the only thing that really matters to me is that I get to spend time with you. We don’t need a fancy restaurant to do that.”

“I don’t want you to be disappointed,” she said.

“How could I be disappointed when I get to spend my night with you?” he replied with a smile.

She tried to muster a smile in return, but couldn’t find it in herself.

“Answer me honestly, Tammy,” he said. “Do you want to go out to dinner tonight?”

She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head.

“Alright, then we’ll stay home,” he replied. “What can I do to help you feel better? Do you want to talk about what’s got you feelin’ down?”

She shook her head ‘no’ and he nodded in response.

“Do you need a little bit of space?”

“No,” she answered quickly. “I don’t want space.”

“Okay,” he said, unable to hide the small smile on his face—it warmed his heart that she wanted him there to comfort her. “How about we get you out of these clothes and into something comfy?”

Tamora stood from the bed and Felix helped her out of the skirt she had put on; the blouse she had picked to go with it sat, unworn, on a nearby chair. He stripped down to his boxers and white undershirt and then sat on the bed while she changed into a pair of leggings and one of his shirts. When she was finished changing clothes, she joined him on the bed and pushed him down with his head on the pillows. She buried her face in his chest and draped her arm across his torso, snuggling in close to him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her, wishing he could protect her from the dark thoughts that so often plagued her mind.

“Sorry if I smell a little sweaty,” he said with a small chuckle. “This is the same undershirt I wore all day at work.”

“No,” she replied. “It just smells like you.”

It was difficult for her to describe how comforting she found his scent. He always smelled faintly of sawdust and grease when he came home, and that smell always brought Tamora a sense of peace. If she was able to make out the scent, it meant that he was close by—she could only smell it when he was within arm’s reach. So, although it wasn’t a particularly pleasant aroma, it was one she always looked forward to.

“Do you want the TV on?” he asked. “I was thinkin’ maybe you wanted a distraction.”

“No,” she answered. “This is perfect.”

As they settled into a comfortable silence, Felix was inclined to agree with her. They didn’t often have time to simply be together like this, but as Tamora nuzzled into his chest, he began thinking of ways they could make time for this more often. There was something special about having her wrapped up in his arms; she didn’t let her guard down for many people, and he was one of the lucky few who got to see this softer side of her. It filled him with pride to know that she trusted him enough to let him in, and he felt honored that she came to him for comfort on her bad days. 

Felix was honestly amazed when he thought back to the beginning of their relationship and how far they had come since then. He had been crazy about her from the start, but he never could have predicted how deeply he would fall in love with her, let alone the fact that she would love him in return. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve such a thing, but he vowed never to take it for granted.

“What are you smiling about?” 

Tamora’s voice pulled him out of his musings. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed her looking at him.

“I’m just thinkin’,” he answered, his smile refusing to falter. “Do you remember the first time we ever cuddled like this?”

“I do,” she replied. 

“I was so nervous,” he recalled. “You put your head on my chest and I was sure you’d tease me for how hard my heart was beating, but you didn’t.”

“I thought it was sweet,” she said. “I could feel how hard you were trying to be careful.”

“Back then I was so scared of making the wrong move and losing you. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that you wanted to be with me,” he said. “Sometimes I still can’t.”

“Felix,” she scolded gently. They had spent a lot of time working through his insecurity in their relationship, and she hated knowing those feelings still lingered.

“I know,” he conceded. “It’s just that I’m so happy and so in love with you and it feels more perfect than anything my brain would conjure up for me. Even better than a dream.”

“I understand,” she said. “Sometimes this feels a little too good to be true.”

“Really?” he asked. 

“I thought I was done with love. I thought I’d had my chance and it was all over for me,” she explained. “I never thought I’d find someone who would put up with all my issues. And I  _really_  never thought I’d find someone who would cancel the elaborate date they had planned to stay home and do nothing with me.”

“What kind of man would pass up the chance to spend his whole evening cuddled up with the woman he loves?” he asked with a smile. 

“I really am sorry about tonight,” she said. “I know you wanted it to be special.”

“This  _is_  special,” he replied. “All we need to celebrate our anniversary is each other. Nothing else really matters.”

“You’re right,” she said. “But I still plan on making it up to you next year.”

His heart skipped a beat at the notion:  _next year_.

“I can’t wait to spend another year with you, Tammy Jean,” he said softly. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Felix,” she smiled. 

He tightened his arms around her as she settled her head underneath his chin. She sighed in contentment and he echoed the sentiment tenfold. 

“Happy anniversary, Felix,” she said.

He buried his smiling face in her hair, still in disbelief that any of this was real. No one could be this happy, and yet he was. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“Happy anniversary, Tammy.”


	17. Happy Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place a couple years into Felix and Tamora's marriage. I will probably never use this plotline again but who knows.

“Happy birthday, Felix,” Ralph said as his companion exited the elevator. “Tell Calhoun I said hi when you pick her up tomorrow.”

“Thanks, brother,” Felix replied. “I will.”

The doors slid closed behind him and Felix headed down the hallway toward his apartment. He was coming home from dinner with Ralph to celebrate his birthday, but his real gift would arrive tomorrow–his wife was finally returning home after more than a year away. Tamora had opted in for one last tour, wanting to end her military career on a positive note. Although it had been difficult for Felix to accept, he understood her reasoning. Her last deployment had been marred by tragedy, and she wanted a chance to try again. 

As hard as the last year had been for him, he was thrilled that it was about to come to an end. He had spent more time fantasizing about their reunion than he cared to admit. His cheeks burned as he pictured it: he was going to hold her close and kiss her like his life depended on it. Opening the door to his apartment, he blinked a few times to try and clear his vision of the beautiful mirage that stood in his living room. It couldn’t be…

“…Tammy?”

“Felix,” she said, the word escaping on a sigh of relief.

His approach was slow-moving as he tried to suss out whether this was all a dream. She smiled at him and he thought his heart might burst. Once she was within arm’s reach, he placed a tentative hand on her cheek. Her skin was soft under his touch, and he let out a shuddering breath as he stroked her face with his thumb. This was real. She was  _home_.

“Tammy,” he breathed.

He pulled her close to him and kissed her with all the passion he had imagined. Their yearning quickly began to build, and it wasn’t long before they had lost control of it completely. Hands roamed, tongues met, and hearts pounded as electricity sparked between them. Desperate fingers worked buttons and zippers as they fought to reach skin. They stumbled through the apartment, their lips never parting, until they reached the kitchen. Tamora yanked her cargo pants off over her boots, not wanting to waste any time. She hoisted herself up onto the counter and pulled Felix flush against her, crossing her legs behind his back. He couldn’t keep his hands in one place; he had missed every part of her so much that it was impossible to decide what he wanted the most.

Felix reached for the hem of her T-shirt and broke the kiss to pull it off over her head. He seized this opportunity to look into her eyes, and the lust that passed between them was more powerful than anything he had ever experienced. Their lips met once more with a deeper connection, one that reflected the intensity of their desire. Tamora unfastened the last few buttons on his shirt and pulled his pants down his legs as he pushed his shirt back off his shoulders. The moment her hand met his erection through the fly of his boxers, he thought he might collapse. He had gone so long without her touch that now it felt as though his entire body was on fire as a result of her ministrations. 

He wasted no time sliding his hand down beneath the waistband of her underwear and stroking at her slick heat. She was so hot, so wet, so ready for him that whatever blood remained in his body promptly rushed down south. His member pulsed within her grip and she grinned against his mouth. She released her hold on him and gently removed his hand from her underwear, pulling the fabric over to one side in order to clear a path for him. She guided the head of his hardness to the entrance of her folds, and neither of them could hold back their moans as he pushed himself inside her.

As Felix thrusted into her, their pace became frantic and needy. Their kisses became somewhat messy as they found themselves unable to focus on much else besides the euphoric connection of their bodies. They soon realized that this act of desperate carnal desire wasn’t going to last much longer–they also knew that they didn’t care. The longing that led up to this moment had gone on for over a year, and now it was finally time for the tension to be relieved. Their ascent to the peak of pleasure was blissfully quick as they climbed higher than ever before. Tamora was the first to reach the edge, spasming against him as she rode out her release. Felix followed, gasping as he spilled into her.

It took a long moment for them to catch their breath, and neither one of them was able to stop smiling. Felix had yet to remove himself from her, and they both relished the feeling of closeness. 

“Hi,” he panted, grinning from cheek to cheek.

“Hi,” she replied, a similar smile making its way across her face.

“You’re home early,” he said. “I was supposed to pick you up from the airport tomorrow. Did they change your flight?”

“No,” she answered. “Kohut’s flight was a day earlier than mine, and he agreed to switch with me so I could surprise you on your birthday.”

“I’ll have to thank him,” he said. “This is the best birthday gift I’ve ever gotten.”

“Which part?” Tamora teased. “Me coming home, or the amazing sex we just had?”

“Everything,” he said with a soft smile. “My wife is home safe and sound and I just got to make love to her like I’ve been dreamin’ about for months. That’s about as good as it gets.”

He pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. 

“I love you, Tammy Jean.”

“I love you, too,” she replied. “Happy birthday, Felix.”

“You know, I took the whole day off tomorrow so I could make it to the airport,” he said. “What do you think we ought to do with that time now that you’re here?”

“I’m sure we can think of something,” she answered, reeling him in for a steamy kiss.

“Happy birthday to  _me_.”


	18. Welcome Home

“Why don’t you move in with me?”

It had taken Felix quite some time to work up the courage to make the suggestion. After the topic of marriage had nearly split them up, he was terrified of pushing Tamora too far in that direction again. But her lease was ending soon, and as she weighed her options, he couldn’t help but think that the easiest solution to her problem was right in front of her. It was the most practical option, really–he received a discounted rate on his rent since he worked in the building, and if they split that rent, they would both save a good deal of money. This would give him the leg up he needed to start saving for the future he wanted with her.

Besides, she already spent her fair share of nights at his apartment. Many of her belongings already had a home there, and nothing would make him happier than to give her a home there, too. 

He had a difficult time reading her expression as she looked at him, and regret began to brew in the pit of his stomach. Things had been going so well between them, and he was sure that he had just ruined everything.

“I don’t want you to feel any pressure to say yes,” he said. “I know it’s a big step, and I know I said I would take things slow. I just think it makes the most sense.”

“How so?”

“Well, for starters, I’ve never been satisfied with the maintenance work in your apartment building,” he said, and she smirked. 

“No matter where I end up living, I’ve got a built-in handyman right here,” she chuckled, giving him a tap on the nose.

“That’s true,” he agreed. “But my rent is a lot cheaper than yours. It’d give us both a chance to build some savings.”

“Alright, so a twenty-four seven maintenance man and cheap rent,” she mused. “What else you got?”

“I live closer to the shop, so you won’t have to get up as early in the morning,” he added.

“You make a compelling argument,” she said. “Anything else?”

“I’ll make your favorite lasagna for you whenever you want,” he added with a smile.

“That was a cheap shot,” she said, although her amusement was clear on her face. “But I think you may have just won me over.”

Over the next few weeks, as Tamora packed up her things and prepared for the move, Felix was preparing as well. He wanted everything to be perfect for her, and he had gone to painstaking measures to ensure that it would be. His nerves nearly got the best of him when the time finally came for her to move in. Once they had brought the last few boxes up from his truck, he took her by the hand.

“I have a surprise for you.”

Tamora was puzzled by this declaration. Hadn’t he already done enough by inviting her to live with him? He led her over to the door to his guest bedroom.

“Do you remember the first time you ever came over for dinner?” he asked.

She nodded. Of course she remembered it; it had also been the night of their first fight, and the first time she ever spent the night here.

“That night, I told you that I wanted this to be a place you could come to relax. A place where you felt at home,” he said. “Now, this  _is_  your home, and it’s more important to me than ever that you feel comfortable here.”

She could sense his anxiety, and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He took a deep breath.

“I learned a lesson that night about how important it is for you to have space to yourself when things get overwhelming. I know it’s harder to find that space when you live with someone else,” he said. “That’s why I spent the last couple weeks putting this together for you.”

Felix opened the door, and she gasped at the sight before her. His guest bedroom looked completely different; the bed and dresser were gone, replaced by a plushy couch and coffee table. There was a bookshelf against the wall, and from just a quick glance she recognized a few of her favorite books lining the shelves. She looked over at Felix, who was looking back at her with nervous anticipation.

“This room is yours,” he explained. “If you need to get away for a bit and have some time to yourself, you can come here, no questions asked. Any time you’re in this room, I’ll give you your space until you’re ready to come out.”

“Felix, this is incredible,” she said. “Thank you.”

“You like it?” he asked, sighing in relief as a smile crossed his face.

“Of course I do,” she answered. “This is the most thoughtful thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

“I’m so glad you like it,” he said. “And I promise this room is entirely yours. I won’t ever come in here except to put some sweets in the candy jar and maybe to vacuum every now and then.”

She looked to the side table and took notice of the glass container full of chocolate. Shaking her head in disbelief, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Most people tried to sweep her problems under the rug because it was easier than dealing with them out in the open. No one had ever gone to such great lengths to make her feel understood. 

“I’ll start getting things unpacked if you want to take a few minutes to check it all out,” he offered, bringing her hand to his lips to kiss the back of her palm.

“No,” she said. Felix seemed slightly taken aback by the firmness of her answer. “Not that I don’t want to spend time in here, because I do. But this room is for when I want to be alone, and right now the last thing I want is space.”

“Really?” he asked. He had always figured that this day would be a bit overwhelming for her and had been expecting her to need some time to herself. The fact that she wanted to spend time with him made his heart flutter.

“Really,” she replied. 

“Why don’t we try to get everything unpacked?” he suggested. “Then I can whip us up something good for dinner.”

“Unpacking can wait,” she replied. She released his hand and reached for his shoulders to pull him close. “First, I need to make sure I give you a proper ‘thank you.’“

Her lips met his in a deep, languid kiss. He melted into her embrace, bringing one hand to her cheek while the other landed in the small of her back. A spike of excitement ran up his spine as it hit him that they officially lived together now. That this apartment was no longer just his, but  _theirs_. Weeks ago, he had told her that he wanted to share his life with her, and this was only the beginning. He couldn’t wait to see what the future held.

Neither one of them was certain about how much time had passed by the time they managed to pull apart from each other. Nothing could wipe the smile off Felix’s face as he looked around at Tamora’s belongings scattered throughout the living room. He had lived here for years, but it had never felt so much like home as it did in that moment. Their connection had quickly transformed the apartment into a space of comfort, and above all, love, and they would tend to those feelings to ensure that this environment would last. He smiled up at her, tucking her bangs behind her ears.

“Welcome home, Tammy.”


	19. Sir

“Hey, Felix.”

“Tammy…”

Felix gulped as he took in the sight before him–Tamora was leaned against the doorframe to their bedroom clad only in her underthings. He had just returned home from an emergency repair that had pulled him away from their time alone together, and clearly she had been awaiting his return. He knew with just a glance that he was doomed; although all of her underwear was plain, not flashy or lacy, the pair she was currently sporting had a special kind of appeal. Tamora was not the kind of woman to put up with the discomfort of a thong, but the high-cut black fabric of this pair made for a cheekier fit than anything else she owned, not to mention the way they elongated her legs. They had been purchased by mistake, a mixup in the clearance bin, but she had decided to keep them after seeing what they did to Felix. The sight of her like that drove him crazy, and she knew it. 

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long,” he said absently, unable to pull his eyes away from her hips.

“Patience has never been my strong suit,” she replied. “But while you were gone, I had a thought.”

“Is that so?” he asked as he slowly made his way to her.

“I want to try something new tonight,” she said.

He was close enough to touch her, and he wasted no time reaching out to place his hands on her waist and pull her close.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“I want you to take charge tonight,” she answered.

Her words yanked him out of his lustful stupor.

“Take charge how?” he asked, his palms beginning to sweat with nerves.

“You’re cautious. I can see how much you want me, but you hold yourself back,” she said. She placed a hand on his chest and leaned in closer. “Even now, you’re doing it. Your hands are on my waist, but that’s not where you really want to touch me, is it?”

He exhaled a shaky breath and shook his head ‘no.’

“Don’t wait for me to give you permission. I don’t want you to hold back tonight,” she said, her mouth so close to his that their lips brushed as she spoke. His eyes slid closed as he felt himself slipping back into the pool of desire. “Take what you want.”

Tamora could feel his pulse beating beneath her hand and could tell that he was anxious.

“You know the boundaries. I trust you not to cross them,” she said. “Now, take me.”

Felix shuddered, hesitating for only a moment before finally giving in and pressing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. While the thought of swapping places with her in the bedroom made him anxious, he reminded himself that this was his wife–he knew better than anyone what she liked, and it couldn’t hurt to start there. His hands slipped down to her backside and his fingers sank into the soft flesh as he gave her a firm squeeze. His mouth moved to her throat and he couldn’t stop himself from hungrily sinking his teeth into her neck and sucking on the skin near the curve of her shoulder. As he moved his lips up to her ear, his right hand smoothed over the curve of her rear end and between her legs, almost but not quite touching the sensitive bundle of nerves at her crest as he stroked her over her underwear.

“I hope you don’t mind me leavin’ a mark,” he murmured in her ear. “Sometimes I just want to leave a little reminder that I’m your man.”

As soon as the words had left his lips he felt self-conscious about them, but Tamora responded with enthusiasm. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and she ground down against his hand in an attempt to give herself more stimulation than he was currently providing. He pulled his hand away, bringing it back to rest against her ample posterior.

“Not so fast,” he said, a cheeky grin on his face. “We’re doing things my way, remember?”

She gave an impatient huff and his smile only grew. He had never had this kind of power over her, and it was exhilarating. Tamora had entrusted him with her pleasure, and he would honor that responsibility, but he was going to have some fun doing it. As someone who had always been on the other side of this dynamic, he knew firsthand how infuriating this sort of provoking could be, but he also knew that the payoff was mind-blowing when handled correctly. 

“Don’t give me that look,” he scolded playfully as she glared at him. “I’m going to take good care of you tonight.”

Felix pressed a kiss to her pouting lips as he reached around her back and unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the floor. His mouth sought out her nipple, which hardened under the heat of his tongue. He sucked on the pert little nub as his fingers began to stroke her once more; her gasp filled him with satisfaction. She growled as, once again, he avoided the spot where she wanted him most. Her frustration only grew as she felt him smile against her breast. He pulled away to look at her, the sparkle of amusement in his eyes.

“I know you’re not the most patient, but I’m in no rush,” he said. “Now, let’s see if we can’t turn that frown upside down.”

He kissed her again and slipped his right hand under the waistband of her underwear. His fingers skimmed over her clitoris and she jumped, but he didn’t linger there. Instead, he played at her entrance, which was wet and hot to the touch. One finger slid inside, just up to the first knuckle. Slowly, he began pumping in and out, never pressing any deeper. Her nails dug into his shoulders through his shirt and he knew that this was driving her up the wall. Tamora loved teasing him to no end, but she could hardly stand to be on the receiving end–she was very straightforward when it came to sex, preferring to get right down to business. 

It took her by surprise when he added a second finger, pushing them both deep inside her. She moaned and he seized the opportunity to extend his tongue and explore her mouth. Every once in a while he brushed his thumb over her clitoris, just barely, just enough to build her frustration. It appeared to be working–every time she got a bit of friction, she let out an involuntary whimper. He had never heard such a desperate sound from her before, and it aroused him in a way that nothing ever had. Suddenly he understood why she enjoyed dominating him so much; the power was intoxicating. 

Having decided to put an end to her suffering, he removed his hand from her underwear and pulled away from the kiss. He backed her up against the wall and knelt down in front of her, pulling her underwear off on his way down. 

“Why don’t I give us something we both want?” he asked as he gently brought one of her legs up over his shoulder.

Felix spent a moment kissing the inside of her thigh before he leaned in and buried his face between her legs. His immediate enthusiasm caught Tamora off guard–she had been prepared for him to make her wait. However, she would not complain about this turn of events. He was good at pleasing her this way, and had no trouble pushing her over the edge quickly. His fingers found their way back inside her and she moaned, gripping the back of his head to hold him in place. 

He hummed as his tongue lapped at her slick folds and his lips closed around her clitoris. It had always been too embarrassing for him to admit, but going down on her like this was one of his favorite intimate activities. There was no selfishness in the act; although there were many things about it that he enjoyed, it was performed for the sole purpose of her pleasure. It was important to him that her needs were met, her desire fully sated, and this was a way for him to ensure that she got the most out of their lovemaking. Plus, there was something about tasting her like this that felt more intimate than anything else they did together. 

Tamora’s nails scraped across his scalp and reminded him that he was supposed to be teasing her. He could feel her getting close, and just as the pressure began to build within her, he pulled away. She was panting for breath as he stood before her, his fingers still pumping ever so slowly.

“What the hell are you doing?” she demanded.

“I just wanted to take a minute to tell you how beautiful you look,” he said, feigning innocence. 

He kissed her and she returned the affection, albeit angrily.

“Have I ever told you how good you taste?” he asked, his voice low in her ear. While he had always struggled with “dirty talk,” he knew it was something she liked, and he figured the best approach was to be honest with her about what he was feeling. “Every time I get a little sample, it just makes me want more. That flavor is somethin’ I’ll never get tired of.”

Felix reached for her hand and brought it to the fly of his jeans, pressing her palm up against the erection that was throbbing beneath the denim.

“Feel that? That’s because of you,” he said. His anxiety that he was saying the wrong things began to dissipate once Tamora gave him a firm squeeze of her own accord. “Everything you do turns me on, but nothing gets me hard quite like goin’ down on you.”

“Felix…” she breathed.

She gyrated her hips in an attempt to push his fingers further inside her, but he saw it coming and withdrew from her completely.

“I’m in charge, remember?” he said. “I want to take my time with you.”

An involuntary whine escaped her throat.

“Don’t give me that,” he scolded. “I know it’s hard, but I promise it’ll all be worth it.”

His lips trailed down her neck and his hand massaged her breast.

“What is it you always say to me during times like this?” he asked. “Good things come to those who wait?”

Tamora grumbled at having her own words used against her in this way.

“I want to make you feel good. I want to give you what you want,” he murmured in her ear. “But I want to do it on my terms.”

“You’re telling me you don’t want to eat me out right now?” she asked, and the skepticism was clear in her voice despite its breathlessness.

“Oh, I want that very much,” he said. “But someone very special taught me how incredible it feels to get what you want after waiting for it.”

His hand made its way between her legs again, and his fingers found their way inside her. She shivered as he stroked her so slowly that she thought she might explode. He allowed his thumb to graze her clitoris and she gasped, gripping his forearm.

“Felix, please,” she managed to get out between shaky breaths.

“Please what?” he asked as he kissed her cheek.

Tamora grabbed him by the front of his shirt and looked him fiercely in the eyes.

“Get down on your knees and finish what you started.”

He smiled.

“As you wish.”

He wasted no time kneeling down in front of her, assuming his earlier position. His fingers were still inside her and he picked up the pace before leaning in and running his tongue over her folds. His zealous attention was such a stark contrast to the torturous teasing he had just put her through that she was nearing her peak just a few seconds later. As he eagerly sucked on that sensitive bundle of nerves he ignited the embers that had been smoldering within her until she was overcome with fiery bliss. The white-hot flames were so intense that a part of her wanted to pull away from him, but instead she grabbed a fistful of his hair, writhed against his mouth, and let herself enjoy the overwhelming sensation.

As Tamora began to come down from her climax, she expected Felix to slow to a stop just as he always did. However, he found that he hadn’t had quite enough of her yet. She had no time to prepare as his mouth and fingers coaxed her over the edge for the second time, this time even more magnificent than the first. The sound of her deep, breathy moans was music to his ears; he was sure that he had never wanted her more than he did in this moment. 

Once her body had calmed, he withdrew from her and stood, pulling her into a hungry kiss. He sought out her tongue with his own, greedily sucking on the moist muscle. His hands gripped her backside in an attempt to sate his desire–he wanted to spend tonight and the rest of his life touching her, tasting her. It was electrifying, and being the one in control only made the sensation more powerful. 

“I have to admit, I’ve been selfish,” he said, his voice barely more than a sigh as he panted against her lips. “After you came undone the first time, I just couldn’t stop myself from doing it again. That second time was all for me.”

Tamora kissed him again, making quick work of the buttons on his shirt. She couldn’t focus well enough to respond to him–her mind was too busy racing. The smooth-talking, handsy, confident man currently nibbling on her bottom lip was nothing like her Felix, and she didn’t know what to make of it. The fact that this was the same man who had been afraid to let himself kiss her for too long when they first started dating was astounding to her. He shrugged out of his shirt and shoved his pants down his legs once she had unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly. She rubbed his erection over his boxers and he pulled away from the kiss.

“Nice try, but let’s not forget who’s in charge,” he said. “Why don’t you head on over to the bed and make yourself comfortable?”

She did as she was instructed and climbed onto the bed, sitting up near the pillows. Felix didn’t join her, instead eyeing her as a predator would examine their prey.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Deciding how I want to take you,” he answered, licking his lips. “Lie back for me.”

Tamora stretched onto her back and Felix spent a moment admiring her before approaching the bed. He leaned down to kiss her stomach, slowly working his way up her body as he climbed over top of her. His touch was gentle and sweet, a stark contrast to the almost possessive grip he had had on her just moments ago.

“You’re perfect,” he sighed against the curve of her neck as his lips nursed the spot where he had left his mark earlier. “I can’t believe I get to be the one who makes love to you.”

“I’m not sure anybody else could handle me,” she said with a smirk.

“You’re a firecracker, that’s for sure,” he smiled. “You know how to light me up in all the best ways. Ways I can’t ever seem to get off my mind.”

“Is that so?” she asked.

“Oh, yes,” he breathed as he left a lazy trail of kisses down her neck and chest. “I can hardly make it through the day without somethin’ reminding me how much I want you.”

“If you want me so much, why don’t you take me?” she asked, turning the conversation back to their current position.

“It’s just like I told you, I’m in no hurry,” he said. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”

She caught the hint of amusement in his tone and felt her chest grow hot with frustration. 

“I didn’t know you were going to be such a tease,” she grumbled.

“I learned from the best,” he grinned. “Or have you forgotten how many times you’ve had me begging for it?”

His mouth dipped down to her breast and he pressed a few tender kisses there.

“I like to think I’m a bit more merciful than you. I won’t make you beg,” he said, slowly kissing his way back up to her face. 

Tamora reached down between them and wrapped her hand around his erection, attempting to pull it free from his boxers. Felix took her hand and brought it up to his lips, where he pressed a kiss to her knuckles. He looked at her with an impish smile, a glint of mischief in his eye.

“Do we need to break out the handcuffs?” he asked. She frowned and he chuckled as he gave her a quick peck. “I was thinkin’ of a different way we could keep those hands of yours busy.”

He pulled his boxers off and took her hand, placing it on his shoulder.

“I left my mark on you,” he said. “I want you to return the favor.”

She bit her lip and smiled, satisfied that things were finally moving forward.

“Yes, sir,” she answered.

A chill ran up his spine.  _Sir_. In case he needed a reminder of his yearning for her, his arousal offered an excited bounce as she spoke. As much as Felix liked to believe that he was in control, he knew that Tamora could undo him with ease if she so wished.

Felix shifted forward, bringing the head of his erection to Tamora’s center. He didn’t enter her just yet, instead taking a moment to slide up and down her slick folds. It was all he could do not to give up the game and push himself into her; the welcoming heat that he knew awaited him was so enticing, it was difficult to resist. She sighed and pressed her nails into his shoulder.

“You’re still so wet,” he commented, hints of surprise and desire in his voice. “I thought I might have to warm you back up after making you wait so long.”

“I don’t need any help in that department,” she replied, a coy smile on her face. She turned her head to murmur in his ear. “All I have to do is think about what it’ll feel like when I finally have that big, hard cock of yours inside me.”

“Oh, Tammy,” he mumbled. His eyes fluttered shut as goosebumps ran across his flesh. 

“Are you going to give it to me,” she began, wriggling against him so that he was positioned at her entrance, “or are you going to make me wait all night?”

He kissed her collarbone and smiled to himself. While it had appeared for a moment that Tamora had been trying to regain control, Felix now realized the true meaning behind her actions. His wife was not shy by any means when it came to sex, but she had always avoided asking for what she wanted. Admitting her desires felt weak, but demanding them from him felt strong. He knew this about her and he had never had any problem bending to her will, but now that the tables had been turned, he planned to use it to his advantage.  She had no idea the power she had just given him.

“Is that what you want?” he asked.

“What do you think?” she replied as she hooked one of her legs over his hip.

“Tell me,” he murmured into her ear, nipping at her earlobe.

“Yes,” she sighed.

“I want to hear you say it,” he said. 

“Felix, please,” she panted, attempting to use her strong legs to pull him in closer.

“Tell me what you want,” he said.

“You know what I want,” she huffed.

“You’re probably right,” he replied, and although his face was peppering kisses along her neck, she swore she could  _hear_  the cocky grin he wore. “But just to be sure, I’d like you to tell me.”

“Give it to me,” she demanded through gritted teeth.

“Give what to you, exactly?” he responded. “I’m going to need you to be more specific.”

He continued leaving a trail of kisses along her neck and chest and Tamora groaned in frustration. This playful, haughty act was infuriating, and it only made matters worse that she found it so arousing. She had never needed him so badly, and he knew it. A whine escaped her throat and he laughed, finally bringing her irritation to a boiling point.

“God, Felix, just fuck me already!”

There was a pregnant pause once the words had left her mouth. Felix was not a fan of profanity, and Tamora had never said something so vulgar in his presence before. After a moment of silence, she began to worry that she had turned him off completely.

“Such language,” he said, that same teasing tone in his voice. “I expect better from a lady such as yourself.”

“I’m no lady,” she replied.

“You’re  _my_  lady,” he countered. “An important distinction, because my lady always gets what she wants.”

Without any further hesitation, he pushed himself inside her, all the way up to the hilt. The sudden sensation of fullness was overwhelming to Tamora after such a long period of time without stimulation. He struck up a slow and steady rhythm that already had her wanting more, and she bucked against him in the hopes of speeding him up.

“Use your words,” he said. “Tell me what you want.”

She gasped as his thumb found her clitoris and moaned as he pressed down and rubbed gentle circles around the still-sensitive nub.

“You know what I want?” he whispered in her ear. “I want those nails on my back.”

Tamora obliged, scraping her nails across the canvas of his back. He hissed and grunted with pleasure.

“Your turn,” he said, his voice noticeably more husky than before. “What do you want?”

“I want you to go faster,” she answered.

Felix sped up, delighting in the small sounds of satisfaction she was making.

“Don’t hold back,” he said. “I want to hear how good it feels.”

Her moans increased in volume, sending a spike of pleasure through him. 

Before long, they fell into a pattern of commands, a steady rhythm of desire.  _Harder. Louder. Faster. Deeper._  It was a symphony of sex that was quickly gaining momentum, a crescendo to a grand fortissimo. Every thrust was a downbeat, a consistent mark of tempo–there was no conductor, no time signature to keep them from accelerating toward the finale. The melody of moans was one of the most beautiful sounds Felix had ever heard. 

Tamora cried out as she reached her climax, her nails digging into his skin so hard that he was left with crescent-shaped indents where her fingers had been. This was enough to push him over the edge, and he groaned as he spilled into her. Exhausted, he collapsed onto her, and their passionate duet came to an end. 

It took a couple of minutes for Felix to regain enough energy to remove himself from Tamora, and he settled on his stomach beside her on the mattress. She rolled onto her side to face him and brushed her fingers through his hair.

“Is that how it feels for you when the roles are reversed?” Tamora asked.

“I sure hope so,” Felix answered.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more angry during sex,” she said. “But you were right about the payoff.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” he said with a lazy smile. “I was worried I wouldn’t be able to satisfy you as much as you always satisfy me.”

“Believe me, I’m plenty satisfied,” she assured him. 

“Good,” he replied on a sigh of relief. “Can I ask you somethin’?”

“What is it?”

“Do you think, maybe…” he trailed off. “Could we do this again sometime?”

Tamora didn’t reply, at least not verbally, but an excited grin crossed her face.

“Absolutely, we can,” she finally answered.

Felix rolled onto his side and pulled her into a kiss. They let it linger for a moment as they enjoyed the simple pleasures of the afterglow. 

“You know,” he said, “I mentioned the handcuffs mostly to get you riled up, but I really think we should use them next time.”

She balked at him; he had been a nervous mess when she asked him to take charge, but he had clearly grown quite comfortable with the role. If she hadn’t been so exhausted, she might have climbed on top of him right then and there. Instead, she kissed him again, unable to hold back her grin.

“Yes, sir.”


End file.
